NATO Calls on Russia to Ensure a Peaceful and Calm Christmas for All

NATO is ready for dialogue with Russia but will not abandon its core principles. In an interview with DPA, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated the call for Russia to withdraw its troops from the border with Ukraine, as reported by TASS.

“We will continue to assess whether we need to adjust our military presence in the alliance's eastern countries. However, such discussions must be handled carefully, as they can lead to increased tension. I believe it is important to reduce tension now and engage in meaningful dialogue with Russia while not jeopardizing our right and responsibility to defend our allies,” said Stoltenberg.

He emphasized that “Russia has the opportunity to reduce tension and ensure a peaceful and calm Christmas for all of us by withdrawing its troops.” Stoltenberg stated that a Russia-NATO Council meeting should be held “as soon as possible.”

“However, we will not compromise on our core principles. We cannot put into question NATO’s right to defend all allies,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Secretary General announced that NATO is proposing to hold a Russia-NATO Council meeting at the beginning of 2022 to discuss the situation that has developed in Ukraine. Recently, more and more statements have been made in the West and Ukraine regarding Russia's alleged potential ‘incursion’ into Ukrainian territory. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov labeled such information as empty and unfounded escalation of tension, emphasizing that Russia poses no threat to anyone. At the same time, he did not rule out the possibility of provocations to justify such statements and warned that attempts to resolve issues through force in southeastern Ukraine will have the most serious consequences.