Russia–NATO relations

Spain is campaigning for NATO to pay more attention to non-military threats on its so-called southern flank

While Russia's invasion of Ukraine is certain to dominate an upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, Spain and other member nations are quietly pushing the Western alliance to consider how mercenaries aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin are spreading Moscow's influence to Africa.

That would have happened in line with NATO's current plans to defend the country from any Russian attack, the Estonian prime minister said.
Kaja Kallas told reporters on Wednesday that the alliance's existing defense plans for the three Baltic states is such that it will allow them to be overrun before they are released after 180 days, the Financial Times reports.

Türkiye has seemingly accelerated its diplomatic efforts for making a food corridor from Ukraine to the world markets possible under a plan crafted by the United Nations. While a military delegation is holding talks with their Russian counterparts in Moscow, Türkiye will host defense and foreign secretaries of the United Kingdom on June 23 in the Turkish capital.

Defence and deterrence, not destruction

A woman holds a photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a pro-Russian protest in Belgrade, Serbia, 15 April 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/ANDREJ CUKIC.

Has NATO ever posed a real threat to Russia?

The war in Ukraine could last "for years", NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned in an interview published Sunday by German daily newspaper Bild, while reiterating calls for Western countries to provide long-term support to Kiev.

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said that Russia is suffering great losses, it is running out of soldiers and advanced missiles, and that it will never be able to take over the whole of Ukraine.
"This is a terrible mistake of Russia. Russia will never take control of Ukraine," he told PA Media, as reported by the Croatian portal Index.hr.

A hotline has been established between the defense ministries of Turkey, Ukraine and Russia for making the grain export through the Black Sea possible, the Turkish Defense Ministry has said, expressing hope for accomplishing all technical and military details in the coming days.

The total number of battle-ready forces now comprises some 40,000 troops. The US on its own has also moved additional troops to these countries based on its own bilateral agreements with them.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, said on Sunday, after talks with the Finnish president, that the Alliance's goal was to strengthen Ukraine's position during peace talks with Russia, but added one "painful sentence".
"Every peace agreement involves compromise, including territory."