3 hours agoNATO rejects comparison of Kosovo intervention with situation in Ukraine
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)Secretary - General NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, has rejected comparisons between the intervention of this Alliance in Kosovo in 1999 and the current situation in Ukraine. The “is the wrong idea that the breakup of the former Yugoslavia started with NATO intervention. NATO there intervened to stop crimes in Kosovo. At that time Yugoslavia had only dissolved”, said [...]
The “is the wrong idea that the breakup of the former Yugoslavia started with NATO intervention. NATO there intervened to stop crimes in Kosovo. At that time Yugoslavia had only been disbanded”, Stoltenberg said when asked by reporters in Brussels if the Alliance's intervention in 1999, without a UN Security Council resolution, caused Yugoslavia's breakup.
NATO air strikes on military targets began on March 24th 1999 and lasted for 78 days. This intervention ended the Kosovo war.
These comments were made after a meeting NATO member states held in Brussels with Russian officials, following tension in Ukraine.
Moscow has sent about 100,000 troops to the border with Ukraine, since the West, as planned for a possible invasion of Ukraine.
Russia is seeking guarantees that NATO will stop expanding from the east, as well as withdraw troops from the eastern states, which borders Russia.
Speaking to these Russia demands, Stoltenberg said that “NATO, according to Article 5, the principle that the attack on a member state is an attack on all will protect each member state”.
NATO reiterated the position that each sovereign state has the right to choose for itself if it wants to join this military Alliance, while Moscow is insisting that Ukraine not become part of this Alliance, naming it “red lines”.
In questions about whether sending weapons to Ukraine helps reduce tensions, Stoltenberg claimed responsibility for Russia's escalation of the situation.
“Ukrainian is a sovereign state and has the right to defend itself. Russia is one of the largest powers in Europe, nuclear power. It has already used the military force against Ukraine and occupied and annexed Ukraine's territory. Blaming Ukraine is a complete overthrow of truth and things. Russia is the one who still threatens to rally forces at the Ukrainian border. Therefore, it is important that Russia reduce tensions. Several NATO states want to help Ukraine realise its right to self-defense”, Stoltenberg said.
NATO has named it “serious and direct” talks it held in Brussels with Russian officials.
