MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th February, 2021) Russia will take all the necessary measures to ensure its interests if NATO develops and adopts a new strategy, the alliance demonizes Russia and uses the mythical Russian threat narrative to bring its ranks together, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Sputnik.
At the end of the first day of the video conference of the alliance's defense ministers, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO's 2010 strategic concept needs to be updated, since the situation has changed, it does not take into account the rise of China and the deterioration of relations with Russia. Before the meeting, a Pentagon spokesperson said that Russia posed a threat to all members of the alliance, including the United States.
"Nothing unexpected happened. As for Russia, the alliance is trying to demonize Russia as before, to use the factor of the mythical Russian threat to bring its ranks together," Grushko said.
He noted that NATO is only going to develop a new strategy.
"Judging by the statement of the secretary general, the decision to develop this new strategy instead of the one adopted in 2010 should be made by the heads of state and government of NATO members at their summit," the Russian diplomat said.
"We will take all necessary additional measures in order to reliably ensure our legitimate defense and security interests," he stressed.
