NATO is no longer bound by past commitments to refrain from deploying forces in Eastern Europe, said the deputy secretary general of the US-led alliance.
Moscow itself has “deprived of any content” the NATO-Russia Founding Act by attacking Ukraine and suspending dialogue with the alliance, Mircea Joanna told AFP.
According to the 1997 Constituent Act, which was intended to restart relations between Russia and the Alliance, both sides agreed to work to “prevent any potentially threatening accumulation of conventional forces in the contracting regions of Europe, including Central and Eastern Europe”.
“They have made decisions, made commitments not to aggression against their neighbors, which they do, and to hold regular consultations with NATO, which they do not do,” Mr Joanna said.
“So I don’t think this constitution actually works because of Russia.
He said Russia had effectively moved away from the terms of the 1997 agreement: “We now have no restrictions on having a stable position on the eastern flank and ensuring that every square inch of NATO territory is protected by Article 5 and our allies. “.
Article 5 of NATO deals with collective defense – an attack on one member is an attack on all of them.
Mr Joanna did not give details of such a planned deployment, but said he expected a “stable, flexible and sustainable presence”.
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