Putin: NATO is seeking confrontation with Russia
Speaking at the board meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, stated that Western countries are constantly trying to drag and provoke Russia into confrontation, as reported by Russia’s Interfax news agency.
Putin pointed out that in July 2016 at NATO Summit in Warsaw, for the first time since 1989, Russia was recognized as a main threat to security of NATO and the deterrence of the Russian Federation has become a new mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
According to the Russian President, having found new reasoning for its mission of deterrence, NATO continued its expansion.
Putin stated that the deployment of strategic and conventional weapons in the territories of NATO member states has accelerated.
“They are constantly provoking us and trying to drag us into confrontation,” the Russian President said.
According to Putin, the situation in the world didn’t become calmer last year. At the same time, a number of challenges have appeared.
In particular, the Russian President emphasized that military-political and economic rivalry between global and regional centers, and individual States has intensified.
Putin stressed that amid such challenges the quality and result-driven work of the FSB is of major importance.