NATO prepares for Putin's 'dark dreams of imperialism' on 70th anniversary

Caravanserai and AFP

WASHINGTON, DC -- NATO member states Thursday (April 4) issued a joint statement announcing new actions the alliance is taking to counter Russia's aggression.

Closing two days of talks in Washington, foreign ministers of the 29-nation alliance said they face "an unpredictable and challenging security situation" that includes "a more aggressive Russia".

"Vladimir Putin harbors dark dreams of imperialism. This is evident from his invasions of Georgia and Ukraine, his meddling in Syria and now in Venezuela. He wants to split our alliance and weaken our democratic resolve," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a NATO meeting in Washington Thursday.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance approved new surveillance measures and naval exercises on the Black Sea to back Ukraine and Georgia, aspiring members of NATO that are facing Russian-backed separatist forces.

"We are stepping up our efforts in the Black Sea region," he told reporters.

Stoltenberg, asked by a reporter if NATO was provoking Russia by considering membership for Ukraine and Georgia, said that "big powers" cannot dictate terms to others.

"As soon as you accept that that's a provocation against Russia, then you accept that Russia has the right to decide what neighbours can do," he said.

Central Asian states, potential targets of the Kremlin's aggression, have long been wary of Russia's policies against Ukraine and Georgia.

Putin's celebration of Russia's illegal actions and observance of the fifth anniversary of Moscow's illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine by visiting the Black Sea peninsula on March 18 did not go unnoticed in the region.

Concerns about Russian interference have been steadily growing in Central Asia, especially in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan, which has a concentration of ethnic Russians in the north of the country, has undertaken the voluntary resettlement of ethnic Kazakhs from the south to the north.

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4 Comment(s)
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| 2019-04-19

Now USA is trying to discord Russia and Central Asian countries and trying to get them out of influence of Russia. But it is impossible. In fact, it is against the interest of Central Asian countries. Because one cannot trust the politics of Europe and USA. They do not have concept of friendship it is only about interest. USA wants to spread its hegemonic ambitions and they are actually achieving it. It is a big tragedy that countries with big powers like Russia, China and India are pretending that they do not see anything or that they are throwing small countries under the influence of others. Due to this now it is their turn. After collapse of USSSR Russia stopped paying attention to its partner countries and countries that lived with the help of the Union. As a result, they suffered both politically and economically. It came to the point that USA now directly attacking Russian interests. They even came up with the plan to divide Russia. And I believe that they are already practicing it. Meanwhile Russian politics are in hands of somehow wrong people. Putin is fighting against them as much as he can. He is trying to limit imperialism of USA. But now it is too late. Disease is already at large. He should have treated it way earlier. If he is going to treat this illness, he will need much stronger remedy. Meaning he has to play more powerful political games. But Russians are failing it. If USA will attack it means the wind of democracy, but if Russia attacks… (sentence is not finished)

| 2019-04-07

We are for NATO.

| 2019-04-07

You're gonna end up deep in the ass with your NATO

| 2019-04-08

This place is taken by Russia