Russia: NATO Tightens Noose Around our Borders

The North Atlantic Alliance turns 75 years old. On this occasion, a solemn ceremony was held at NATO headquarters in Brussels in the presence of the foreign ministers of the member states under the chairmanship of the bloc’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Following the ceremony, the ministers, including US diplomatic chief Anthony Blinken, met for a second day of work. The meeting discussed Stoltenberg’s proposal to create a special fund for military aid to Ukraine, estimated at 100 billion euros.

For the Kremlin, the outcome of these 75 years is very disappointing. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “relations between Russia and NATO have now slipped to the level of direct confrontation.”

“Indeed, NATO countries, the alliance itself is already involved in the conflict around Ukraine,” Peskov emphasized. “NATO continues its movement toward our borders, the expansion of its military infrastructure toward our borders.”

On the eve of the celebrations in Brussels, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu. The conversation between the two, which lasted about an hour, was the first since October 2022 and was initiated by France. Lecornu told Shoigu of Paris’ readiness to step up exchanges on counterterrorism after the March 22 attack on Crocus City Hall. Lecornu expressed condolences for the terrorist attack. Shoigu emphasized that the investigation launched into the terrorist attack “will definitely be completed, and all those responsible will be punished.” The Russian minister conveyed to his French counterpart Moscow’s “concern” over statements by President Emmanuel Macron about the possible dispatch of a French military contingent to Ukraine, saying “such a step could create problems for France itself.”