NATO Buildup in Eastern Europe

NATO leaders’ decision to boost their military presence in Eastern Europe will dominate Wednesday’s NATO-Russia Council (NRC), the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday, the Tass news agency reports.

Leaders of the 28 NATO nations agreed last week to deploy four multinational battalions to the countries bordering Russia on a rotational basis. Russia warned this would undermine security in the region.

"The decision of the bloc’s July 8-9 summit in Warsaw to increase military presence on the ‘eastern flank’ and its consequences for European security will be the main topic on the agenda," Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Russia is also going to discuss a Finnish plan on enhancing air security in Baltic airspace, as well as assess risks that the US missile shield poses to strategic stability in Europe, she added. The peace process in Ukraine, Afghanistan and regional terror threats will also be raised.

Russia is firmly against NATO boosting its presence in the countries bordering the Russian Federation, a stance which is entirely predictable.

Russia has always stated it was against of NATO enlargement, especially in the areas which once belonged to the Soviet Union.

Russia still believes that post-Soviet countries are in the zone of its influence.

When NATO refused to increase its presence in Baltic areas, in Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova Russia tried to expand its control on the lands of independent countries.

Russia triggered confrontations in Ukraine and Georgia, invaded the lands of the two countries and threatened the Baltic nations.

If NATO takes aggressive steps towards nations that Russia still believes are in their zone of influence, it is possible that Moscow will decrease its military size and reduce or cease its violations of international law rather than risk open confrontation with the West.