Istanbul summit

NATO has strongly condemned Russia's withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), a historic document that played a crucial role in balancing arms control between NATO and former Warsaw Pact states after the Cold War. The treaty, signed in 1990, aimed to maintain stability and limit the deployment of conventional military equipment in Europe.

European leaders meet Thursday at a summit held on one of the most vulnerable points on the continent's strategic frontline, in a show of diplomatic force designed to pressure Moscow.

The European Political Community (EPC), which groups 27 EU members with 40 of their allies and excludes Russia and Belarus, chose Ukraine's tiny neighbour Moldova for its second summit.

NATO wants to "monitor Russian military activity" and at the same time support the "increased presence of the Alliance in the region" and therefore deploys AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) surveillance aircraft from Germany to Romania. They should arrive in Bucharest next Tuesday, according to a NATO media release, quoted by DPA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Feb. 18 said it expects NATO members to "flawlessly display unity and the spirit of solidarity" that constitute the bedrock of the Alliance.

A senior Turkish official has described Turkey as the center of future NATO geopolitics and stressed that its contribution to the global peace and stability through the alliance will continue, as Ankara is celebrating its 70th anniversary at the Brussels-based defense pact.

NATO allies are sending more warplanes and ships to strengthen NATO's presence in Eastern Europe, given the situation around Ukraine.

This is confirmed in a statement from the Alliance, following the deployment of more forces from individual countries in the defense union in recent days.

NATO rejects Russia's demand for the withdrawal of Alliance troops from Bulgaria and Romania, BNR reports.

The Pact "will not give up our ability to defend ourselves, including through the presence of troops in the eastern parts of the Alliance."

Russia's Foreign Ministry: NATO forces Must be Withdrawn from Bulgaria and Romania

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov called on Russia to participate in the dialogue with the West in order to reduce tensions.

Turkey will not send additional troops to Afghanistan as part of a plan to run and secure Kabul's airport following the U.S. and NATO pull-out from the country, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar was cited as saying on June 23. 

President Klaus Iohannis said on Monday that the decisions taken at the NATO summit in Brussels meet Romania's security interests. "Today's summit was one of visionary decisions.