Stoltenberg: NATO Does Not Consider Russia as Direct Threat

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, Thursday, in an interview with “Le Point” magazine, the NATO does not consider Russia as a direct military threat, according to Russia Today (RT).

Stoltenberg stated that he does not see direct threat from Russia in as a military attack, but he noted that Russia is taking hold using its military force against Georgia and Ukraine.

Stoltenberg claimed that Moscow was behind the cyber-attacks on the parliaments in Germany and Norway, in addition to accusing Russia again of using chemicals to kill people in UK.

He mentioned that even if Russia is not as strong as the Soviet Union, it possesses nuclear weapons and missiles that can reach all of Europe.

He criticized Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems. Nonetheless, he asserted that Turkey is an important member of NATO, noting that it has a strategic geographic location, and stressing  the importance of keeping Turkey in the alliance.

The Secretary-General of NATO has previously claimed that Turkey was hosting around four million refugees, which is more than any other NATO ally, asserting that the country had suffered from terrorist attacks.

“There are differences, there are disagreements, we need to address them,” Stoltenberg mentioned.

“At the same time, we need to make sure that we realize the importance of Turkey as part of NATO and also as part of the Western family.”