Amid the Ukraine war, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they had expelled ten Russian diplomats.

Estonia's foreign ministry said the Russian diplomats had "directly and actively undermined Estonia's security and spread propaganda justifying Russia's military action."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/drone-warfare-in-ukraine-switchblade-buzzing-bee-drones-vs-russias-orlan-10-463449">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10</a>

Lithuania expelled four Russian diplomats as foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said, "Russia's military attacks on civilians, civilian objects, hospitals, schools, maternity wards and cultural objects are war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Latvia's foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics said the three expelled Russian embassy officials were involved in "activities are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine".

The decision has been coordinated with Lithuania and Estonia, the foreign minister added.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Latvia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Latvia</a> expells three Russian Embassy employees in connection with activities that are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a>. The decision has been coordinated with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lithuania?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lithuania</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Estonia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Estonia</a>
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) <a href="https://twitter.com/edgarsrinkevics/status/1504790139008135215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Watch: 'Firefighters in Kyiv working in volatile conditions'

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Bulgaria's foreign ministry also&nbsp;announced the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats over suspected espionage activities. Bulgaria had earlier expelled two Russian diplomats earlier this month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraines-tochka-u-missile-can-it-stop-russian-attack-462852">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Ukraine's Tochka-U missile: Can it stop Russian attack?</a>

Reports claimed on Thursday that Kosovo has requested President Biden to help in joining NATO.

President Vjosa Osmani in a letter said "Kosovo's membership in NATO has become imperative" amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti had earlier pressed for the country's entry into the EU and NATO.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Amid the Ukraine war, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they had expelled ten Russian diplomats. Estonia's foreign ministry said the Russian diplomats had "directly and actively undermined Estonia's security and spread propaganda justifying Russia's military action.

Amid the Ukraine war, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they had expelled ten Russian diplomats. Estonia's foreign ministry said the Russian diplomats had "directly and actively undermined Estonia's security and spread propaganda justifying Russia's military action." Also Read in Pics: Drone warfare in Ukraine: Switchblade 'buzzing bee' drones vs Russia's Orlan-10 Lithuania expelled four Russian diplomats as foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said, "Russia's military attacks on civilians, civilian objects, hospitals, schools, maternity wards and cultural objects are war crimes and crimes against humanity." Latvia's foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics said the three expelled Russian embassy officials were involved in "activities are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine". The decision has been coordinated with Lithuania and Estonia, the foreign minister added. #Latvia expells three Russian Embassy employees in connection with activities that are contrary to their diplomatic status and taking into account ongoing Russian aggression in #Ukraine. The decision has been coordinated with #Lithuania and #Estonia — Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) March 18, 2022 × Watch: 'Firefighters in Kyiv working in volatile conditions' Bulgaria's foreign ministry also announced the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats over suspected espionage activities. Bulgaria had earlier expelled two Russian diplomats earlier this month. Also Read in Pics: Ukraine's Tochka-U missile: Can it stop Russian attack? Reports claimed on Thursday that Kosovo has requested President Biden to help in joining NATO. President Vjosa Osmani in a letter said "Kosovo's membership in NATO has become imperative" amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti had earlier pressed for the country's entry into the EU and NATO. (With inputs from Agencies)

'War crimes': Amid Ukraine war, Baltic states expel Russian diplomats

In a major development, the US has approved requests by Baltic countries to ship US-made weapons to Ukraine as fears of Russian invasion mount, as per officials.

A State Department official in Berlin, where Secretary of State Antony Blinken was holding talks on Ukraine, said that the United States was "expediting authorised transfers of US-origin equipment from other allies."

The news has broken just hours after US President Joe Biden commented about Putin saying "my guess is he will move in". The words of US President are being interpreted by some as an indication of an increased possibility of a Russian attack on Ukraine.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/severe-costs-my-guess-is-he-will-move-in-says-biden-on-putins-ukraine-invasion-plan-446058">'Severe costs': My guess is he will move in, says Biden on Putin's Ukraine invasion plan</a>

Russia currently has tens of thousands of its troops stationed along its border with Ukraine. Though in past, Russia has said that it would not invade Ukraine, the Russian statements about Ukraine being a threat to Russia's security are seen as an attempt to create a pretext for invasion. Ukraine, part of the erstwhile Soviet Union has already lost the Crimean peninsula which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Russia has made it abundantly clear that it is dead against Ukraine joining North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Ukraine has till recently shown eagerness to join the military alliance which, at the time of its formation, was aimed against the Russian threat perceived by western powers.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a major development, the US has approved requests by Baltic countries to ship US-made weapons to Ukraine as fears of Russian invasion mount, as per officials.

In a major development, the US has approved requests by Baltic countries to ship US-made weapons to Ukraine as fears of Russian invasion mount, as per officials. A State Department official in Berlin, where Secretary of State Antony Blinken was holding talks on Ukraine, said that the United States was "expediting authorised transfers of US-origin equipment from other allies." The news has broken just hours after US President Joe Biden commented about Putin saying "my guess is he will move in". The words of US President are being interpreted by some as an indication of an increased possibility of a Russian attack on Ukraine. Also Read | 'Severe costs': My guess is he will move in, says Biden on Putin's Ukraine invasion plan Russia currently has tens of thousands of its troops stationed along its border with Ukraine. Though in past, Russia has said that it would not invade Ukraine, the Russian statements about Ukraine being a threat to Russia's security are seen as an attempt to create a pretext for invasion. Ukraine, part of the erstwhile Soviet Union has already lost the Crimean peninsula which was annexed by Russia in 2014. Russia has made it abundantly clear that it is dead against Ukraine joining North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Ukraine has till recently shown eagerness to join the military alliance which, at the time of its formation, was aimed against the Russian threat perceived by western powers. (With inputs from agencies)

USA approves Baltic request to send US-made weapons to Ukraine

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia imposed travel bans on President Alexander Lukashenko and 29 other Belarusian officials on Monday, jumping into action to impose sanctions before the rest of the EU.&nbsp;

The three Baltic states have led calls for the West to take firmer action against Lukashenko, who is accused by opponents and the West of rigging an election to prolong his 26-year rule.

The sanctions are aimed at officials the three Baltic states accuse of vote rigging and playing a role in violence against protesters since the Aug. 9 election. Lukashenko's inclusion in the lists sends a message to other European countries which have been reluctant to back measures against him personally.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/lukashenko-gets-birthday-call-from-putin-as-tanks-are-seen-in-minsk-amid-protests-324152" hreflang="en">Lukashenko gets birthday call from Putin, as tanks are seen in Minsk amid protests</a>

Lukashenko, an ally of Moscow, denies electoral fraud and has said the protesters are backed from abroad.

"We said that we need peaceful dialogue and agreement between the regime and society, but we see that the regime is not ready for that," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said. "We see that we need to move forward and to show an example to other countries."

The European Union has been working on its own list of individuals in Belarus to target with similar sanctions, but Western countries have mostly been cautious, wary of provoking an intervention from Russia.

The three small Baltic states are in the EU and Lithuania and Latvia border Belarus. Lithuania has been hosting opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled there after the election her supporters say she won.

Tsikhanouskaya will speak to the U.N. Security Council on Friday at Estonia's invitation, her spokesman said.

HUGE DEMONSTRATIONS

Tens of thousands of protesters again took to the streets in central Minsk on Sunday, seeking to keep up pressure on Lukashenko to resign. At least 140 people were detained, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing the Belarusian Interior Ministry.

Lukashenko threatened on Friday to cut off European transit routes across his country in retaliation against any sanctions.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/women-march-through-belarusian-capital-calling-for-lukashenko-to-step-down-324026" hreflang="en">Women march through Belarusian capital calling for Lukashenko to step down</a>

Goods from landlocked Belarus account for almost a third of Lithuania's rail traffic and port volume. Belarus is also a major overland route for European goods bound for Russia, and carries pipelines used to ship Russian oil to Europe.

President Vladimir Putin has invited Lukashenko to Moscow, a sign of Kremlin support.

Last week, the Kremlin announced it had set up a reserve force able to intervene in Belarus, though it did not see a need for such intervention so far. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov repeated on Monday that Moscow still sees no need for action.

The German foreign ministry said it had summoned the Belarusian ambassador on Monday in response to the detention of foreign journalists in Belarus.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia imposed travel bans on President Alexander Lukashenko and 29 other Belarusian officials on Monday, jumping into action to impose sanctions before the rest of the EU.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia imposed travel bans on President Alexander Lukashenko and 29 other Belarusian officials on Monday, jumping into action to impose sanctions before the rest of the EU. The three Baltic states have led calls for the West to take firmer action against Lukashenko, who is accused by opponents and the West of rigging an election to prolong his 26-year rule. The sanctions are aimed at officials the three Baltic states accuse of vote rigging and playing a role in violence against protesters since the Aug. 9 election. Lukashenko's inclusion in the lists sends a message to other European countries which have been reluctant to back measures against him personally. Also read: Lukashenko gets birthday call from Putin, as tanks are seen in Minsk amid protests Lukashenko, an ally of Moscow, denies electoral fraud and has said the protesters are backed from abroad. "We said that we need peaceful dialogue and agreement between the regime and society, but we see that the regime is not ready for that," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said. "We see that we need to move forward and to show an example to other countries." The European Union has been working on its own list of individuals in Belarus to target with similar sanctions, but Western countries have mostly been cautious, wary of provoking an intervention from Russia. The three small Baltic states are in the EU and Lithuania and Latvia border Belarus. Lithuania has been hosting opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled there after the election her supporters say she won. Tsikhanouskaya will speak to the U.N. Security Council on Friday at Estonia's invitation, her spokesman said. HUGE DEMONSTRATIONS Tens of thousands of protesters again took to the streets in central Minsk on Sunday, seeking to keep up pressure on Lukashenko to resign. At least 140 people were detained, Russia's RIA news agency reported, citing the Belarusian Interior Ministry. Lukashenko threatened on Friday to cut off European transit routes across his country in retaliation against any sanctions. Also read: Women march through Belarusian capital calling for Lukashenko to step down Goods from landlocked Belarus account for almost a third of Lithuania's rail traffic and port volume. Belarus is also a major overland route for European goods bound for Russia, and carries pipelines used to ship Russian oil to Europe. President Vladimir Putin has invited Lukashenko to Moscow, a sign of Kremlin support. Last week, the Kremlin announced it had set up a reserve force able to intervene in Belarus, though it did not see a need for such intervention so far. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov repeated on Monday that Moscow still sees no need for action. The German foreign ministry said it had summoned the Belarusian ambassador on Monday in response to the detention of foreign journalists in Belarus.

Baltic states hit Lukashenko, other Belarus officials with sanctions

Germany today stressed its promise to protect its NATO allies after White House hopeful Donald Trump called the commitment into question. 
 
&quot;The German government is fundamentally committed to Article Five of the NATO treaty. That is the central promise of solidarity within the alliance,&quot; Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters when asked about Trump&#39;s remarks. 
 
&quot;Collective defence according to Article Five is and remains the main duty of NATO,&quot; Seibert added, noting that the pledge had once again been renewed at a NATO summit this month in Warsaw. 
 
Under Article Five of the NATO treaty, members agree to regard an attack on one member as an attack on all, and promise to mobilise together to defeat the threat. 
 
In an interview published on Thursday in the New York Times, Trump raised questions about this vow.&nbsp;He warned that if elected he would only come to the aid of the Baltic states in the event they were invaded by Russia if he judged they had &quot;fulfilled their obligations to us&quot;. 
 
This drew a furious response from Estonia and Latvia, and outrage from Trump&#39;s domestic political critics.&nbsp;US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday reaffirmed Washington&#39;s promise to protect its NATO allies following the uproar. 
 
(AFP)

Trump said if elected he would aid the Baltic states only if they had 'fulfilled their obligations', drawing outrage from two Baltic nations

Germany today stressed its promise to protect its NATO allies after White House hopeful Donald Trump called the commitment into question. "The German government is fundamentally committed to Article Five of the NATO treaty. That is the central promise of solidarity within the alliance," Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters when asked about Trump's remarks. "Collective defence according to Article Five is and remains the main duty of NATO," Seibert added, noting that the pledge had once again been renewed at a NATO summit this month in Warsaw. Under Article Five of the NATO treaty, members agree to regard an attack on one member as an attack on all, and promise to mobilise together to defeat the threat. In an interview published on Thursday in the New York Times, Trump raised questions about this vow. He warned that if elected he would only come to the aid of the Baltic states in the event they were invaded by Russia if he judged they had "fulfilled their obligations to us". This drew a furious response from Estonia and Latvia, and outrage from Trump's domestic political critics. US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday reaffirmed Washington's promise to protect its NATO allies following the uproar. (AFP)

Germany stresses NATO commitment to allies after Trump comments

NATO leaders agreed on Friday to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time, and also to increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies who were once part of the Soviet bloc following Russia&#39;s seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. 
 
The 28-nation Western defence alliance decided to move four battalions, totalling 3,000 to 4,000 troops, into northeastern Europe on a rotating basis to display its readiness to defend eastern members against any Russian aggression. 
 
However, they also underlined their willingness to pursue a dialogue with Moscow and revive confidence-building measures that Russia has spurned since its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for Russian-speaking rebels in eastern Ukraine. 
 
&quot;These battalions will be robust and they will be multinational. They make clear that an attack on one ally will be considered an attack on the whole alliance,&quot; NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after the summit&#39;s first working session in Warsaw, the Polish capital. 
 
President Barack Obama said the United States would deploy about 1,000 soldiers in Poland under the plan &quot;to enhance our forward presence in central and eastern Europe&quot;. Germany will lead the battalion in Lithuania, Britain in Estonia and Canada in Latvia. Other nations such as France will supply troops. 
 
White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters that what he called continued aggression by Russia would provoke a response by NATO and a greater alliance presence in Eastern Europe. 
 
Obama said earlier that Britain&#39;s referendum vote to leave the European Union, an outcome he sought to avoid, should not weaken the Western alliance but raised &quot;significant questions&quot; about the future of European integration. America&#39;s &quot;special relationship&quot; with the UK would survive, the President said. 
 
Obama discussed the procedure for Britain&#39;s withdrawal with the heads of the main EU institutions, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, and was assured there would be an orderly transition to as close an economic relationship as possible and no punishment of Britain, Rhodes told reporters. 
 
Host nation Poland set a tone of mistrust of Russian intentions. Foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski told a pre-summit forum: &quot;We have to reject any type of wishful thinking with regard to pragmatic cooperation with Russia as long as it keeps on invading its neighbours.&quot; 
 
Obama was more diplomatic, calling for dialogue with Russia, but he too urged allies to keep sanctions on Moscow in place until it fully complies with a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. 
 
Ukraine is not a member of NATO but President Petro Poroshenko will meet allied leaders today, where he may face pressure to fulfil Kiev&#39;s part of the agreement by accepting more decentralisation and local elections in the rebel-held eastern Donbass region. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that while NATO was increasing its defence capabilities, it was always keen for dialogue with Moscow. A planned meeting of the long frozen NATO-Russia Council next week would address ways to avoid dangerous situations in Baltic air space, she said. 
 
Russian warplanes have been buzzing Western civilian and military aircraft and switching off their identification signals as part of an apparent campaign of intimidation in response to Western economic sanctions over its action in Ukraine. 
 
&quot;Just as there are understandings between the United States and Russia in Syria, it&#39;s in both sides&#39; interests that NATO and Russia also coordinate their activities,&quot; Merkel said. 
 
Adversary and partner 
 
Coinciding with the NATO summit, the US state department announced it had expelled two Russian diplomats on June 17, in response to an attack by a Russian policeman on a US diplomat in Moscow earlier last month. It was not clear why the United States waited until Friday to disclose the news. 
 
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland had requested a permanent NATO presence, fearing Moscow will seek to destabilise their pro-Western governments through cyber attacks, stirring up Russian speakers, hostile broadcasts or territorial incursions. 
 
The three Baltic states, as well as Ukraine, are former Soviet republics that gained independence when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. 
 
The head of NATO&#39;s military committee, Czech general Petr Pavel, said Russia was attempting to restore its status as a world power, an effort that included using its military. &quot;We must accept that Russia can be a competitor, adversary, peer or partner and probably all four at the same time,&quot; he said. 
 
The Kremlin said it was absurd for NATO to talk of any threat from Russia and it hoped &quot;common sense&quot; would prevail at the Warsaw summit. Moscow remains open to dialogue with NATO and is ready to cooperate with it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists. 
 
Russia often depicts NATO as an aggressor whose members are moving troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory, which it regards as its sphere of influence. 
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed diplomatic efforts for a settlement in Ukraine in a phone call with Merkel and French President Francois Hollande just before the summit began. The Kremlin said he asked them to &quot;influence more actively the Ukrainian side&quot; to grant wider autonomy to eastern Ukraine. 
 
Moscow has declared its intention to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, in response to NATO&#39;s activation of a US-built missile shield on Polish soil. 
 
Brexit 
 
Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed Britain would not turn its back on European security once it leaves the EU following the Brexit vote. Britain is Europe&#39;s biggest military spender, followed by France. 
 
Hollande, who has sent French forces on missions against Islamist militants in Mali, the Central African Republic, Iraq and Syria, urged other European allies to increase their defence budgets - veiled criticism of Germany, which spends just over one per cent of GDP on the military, or half the NATO objective. 
 
NATO and the EU signed an agreement on deeper military and security cooperation. The US-led alliance is set to announce today its support for the EU&#39;s Mediterranean interdiction operation. NATO is already backing EU efforts to stem a refugee influx from Turkey into Greece, in conjunction with an EU-Turkey deal to curb migration in return for benefits for Ankara. 
 
Stoltenberg also said NATO defence ministers would consider calls from Romania and Bulgaria for a stronger allied air and sea presence in the Black Sea, where Russia has a fleet based in Crimea and is building up its interdiction capacity. 
 
(Reuters)

The Kremlin often depicts NATO as an aggressor whose members move troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory

NATO leaders agreed on Friday to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and eastern Poland for the first time, and also to increase air and sea patrols to reassure allies who were once part of the Soviet bloc following Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. The 28-nation Western defence alliance decided to move four battalions, totalling 3,000 to 4,000 troops, into northeastern Europe on a rotating basis to display its readiness to defend eastern members against any Russian aggression. However, they also underlined their willingness to pursue a dialogue with Moscow and revive confidence-building measures that Russia has spurned since its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for Russian-speaking rebels in eastern Ukraine. "These battalions will be robust and they will be multinational. They make clear that an attack on one ally will be considered an attack on the whole alliance," NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference after the summit's first working session in Warsaw, the Polish capital. President Barack Obama said the United States would deploy about 1,000 soldiers in Poland under the plan "to enhance our forward presence in central and eastern Europe". Germany will lead the battalion in Lithuania, Britain in Estonia and Canada in Latvia. Other nations such as France will supply troops. White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters that what he called continued aggression by Russia would provoke a response by NATO and a greater alliance presence in Eastern Europe. Obama said earlier that Britain's referendum vote to leave the European Union, an outcome he sought to avoid, should not weaken the Western alliance but raised "significant questions" about the future of European integration. America's "special relationship" with the UK would survive, the President said. Obama discussed the procedure for Britain's withdrawal with the heads of the main EU institutions, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, and was assured there would be an orderly transition to as close an economic relationship as possible and no punishment of Britain, Rhodes told reporters. Host nation Poland set a tone of mistrust of Russian intentions. Foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski told a pre-summit forum: "We have to reject any type of wishful thinking with regard to pragmatic cooperation with Russia as long as it keeps on invading its neighbours." Obama was more diplomatic, calling for dialogue with Russia, but he too urged allies to keep sanctions on Moscow in place until it fully complies with a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. Ukraine is not a member of NATO but President Petro Poroshenko will meet allied leaders today, where he may face pressure to fulfil Kiev's part of the agreement by accepting more decentralisation and local elections in the rebel-held eastern Donbass region. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that while NATO was increasing its defence capabilities, it was always keen for dialogue with Moscow. A planned meeting of the long frozen NATO-Russia Council next week would address ways to avoid dangerous situations in Baltic air space, she said. Russian warplanes have been buzzing Western civilian and military aircraft and switching off their identification signals as part of an apparent campaign of intimidation in response to Western economic sanctions over its action in Ukraine. "Just as there are understandings between the United States and Russia in Syria, it's in both sides' interests that NATO and Russia also coordinate their activities," Merkel said. Adversary and partner Coinciding with the NATO summit, the US state department announced it had expelled two Russian diplomats on June 17, in response to an attack by a Russian policeman on a US diplomat in Moscow earlier last month. It was not clear why the United States waited until Friday to disclose the news. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland had requested a permanent NATO presence, fearing Moscow will seek to destabilise their pro-Western governments through cyber attacks, stirring up Russian speakers, hostile broadcasts or territorial incursions. The three Baltic states, as well as Ukraine, are former Soviet republics that gained independence when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. The head of NATO's military committee, Czech general Petr Pavel, said Russia was attempting to restore its status as a world power, an effort that included using its military. "We must accept that Russia can be a competitor, adversary, peer or partner and probably all four at the same time," he said. The Kremlin said it was absurd for NATO to talk of any threat from Russia and it hoped "common sense" would prevail at the Warsaw summit. Moscow remains open to dialogue with NATO and is ready to cooperate with it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with journalists. Russia often depicts NATO as an aggressor whose members are moving troops and military hardware further into former Soviet territory, which it regards as its sphere of influence. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed diplomatic efforts for a settlement in Ukraine in a phone call with Merkel and French President Francois Hollande just before the summit began. The Kremlin said he asked them to "influence more actively the Ukrainian side" to grant wider autonomy to eastern Ukraine. Moscow has declared its intention to deploy nuclear-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania, in response to NATO's activation of a US-built missile shield on Polish soil. Brexit Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron vowed Britain would not turn its back on European security once it leaves the EU following the Brexit vote. Britain is Europe's biggest military spender, followed by France. Hollande, who has sent French forces on missions against Islamist militants in Mali, the Central African Republic, Iraq and Syria, urged other European allies to increase their defence budgets - veiled criticism of Germany, which spends just over one per cent of GDP on the military, or half the NATO objective. NATO and the EU signed an agreement on deeper military and security cooperation. The US-led alliance is set to announce today its support for the EU's Mediterranean interdiction operation. NATO is already backing EU efforts to stem a refugee influx from Turkey into Greece, in conjunction with an EU-Turkey deal to curb migration in return for benefits for Ankara. Stoltenberg also said NATO defence ministers would consider calls from Romania and Bulgaria for a stronger allied air and sea presence in the Black Sea, where Russia has a fleet based in Crimea and is building up its interdiction capacity. (Reuters)

NATO sends military troops to Poland, Baltic states against Russia

NATO leaders will this week formally endorse its biggest military revamp since the end of the Cold War at a landmark summit in Warsaw, in the shadow of a resurgent Russia and Britain&#39;s shock EU exit vote. 
 
The centrepiece of the summit in the former heart of the Soviet-led Warsaw pact is a &quot;Readiness Action Plan&quot; to counter a more aggressive Russia after Moscow&#39;s shock 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in Ukraine. 
 
But also important is an EU-NATO cooperation accord, laying out how the alliance -- which includes 22 of the 28 EU member states -- can work with the EU in face of failing states across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. 
 
Security is heavy, especially around the National Stadium venue, as Poland prepares to welcome world leaders, including US President Barack Obama for his last NATO summit.&nbsp; 
 
Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian secretary general of NATO, said this week that the summit &quot;comes at a defining time for our security with threats and challenges from many directions&quot;. 
 
But while Russia is still the main theme, just as at the last NATO summit in Wales in 2014, it is the vote for a so-called &quot;Brexit&quot; that will be on everyone&#39;s lips. NATO insists Brexit makes no difference, but it clearly adds to uncertainty amid fears Russia may exploit any opening as Britain negotiates its way out of the EU in difficult and complex talks. 
 
The Ukraine crisis proved a rude wake-up call for NATO and the summit is meant to convey a clear message to Moscow that it will not be caught napping again. 
 
The Readiness Action Plan, agreed at the 2014 Wales summit, included a pledge to spend two per cent of annual economic output on defence, ending years of cuts. 
 
To reassure nervous east European allies, once ruled from Moscow, NATO also tripled the size of its fast Response Force to some 40,000 troops and created a 5,000-strong &quot;Spearhead&quot; unit to deploy within days to any new crisis point. 
 
Poland, the summit host, and the three Baltic states have however pushed hard for more, to get a NATO tripwire presence on the ground to deter any Russian adventurism. 
&nbsp; 
Leaders will accordingly approve sending one multinational battalion each to Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, up to 4,000 troops in all. Russia bitterly opposes NATO&#39;s expansion into its Soviet-era satellites, which it sees as a threat to its own security requiring an appropriate response. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t intend to give in to this militaristic frenzy, but it seems that is what they are pushing us to, to provoke a costly and pointless arms race,&quot; Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month. 
 
Moscow reserves it direst warnings however for a Ballistic Missile Defence system the United States is building and which the summit is due to declare has reached an initial operating level. 
 
Washington says the shield is designed to counter missile threats from Iran or the Middle East, but Russia says that once the system becomes fully operational in 2018, it will undercut its strategic nuclear deterrent. 
 
The NATO upgrade has largely been driven by the Ukraine crisis, but leaders are increasingly worried by threats to the south in the shape of massive flows of illegal migrants across the Mediterranean and terror groups such as Islamic State gaining ground in Libya. 
 
NATO leaders are expected to endorse plans to &quot;project stability&quot; by providing advice and assistance in the region to head off future problems. 
 
NATO diplomatic sources say that while the alliance has a role to play, it does not consider itself to be the &quot;first responder&quot; which should be the EU&#39;s role. 
 
(AFP)

The 'Readiness Action Plan' to counter a more aggressive, Crimea-annexing Russia will be the Warsaw summit's main theme

NATO leaders will this week formally endorse its biggest military revamp since the end of the Cold War at a landmark summit in Warsaw, in the shadow of a resurgent Russia and Britain's shock EU exit vote. The centrepiece of the summit in the former heart of the Soviet-led Warsaw pact is a "Readiness Action Plan" to counter a more aggressive Russia after Moscow's shock 2014 annexation of Crimea and intervention in Ukraine. But also important is an EU-NATO cooperation accord, laying out how the alliance -- which includes 22 of the 28 EU member states -- can work with the EU in face of failing states across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. Security is heavy, especially around the National Stadium venue, as Poland prepares to welcome world leaders, including US President Barack Obama for his last NATO summit. Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian secretary general of NATO, said this week that the summit "comes at a defining time for our security with threats and challenges from many directions". But while Russia is still the main theme, just as at the last NATO summit in Wales in 2014, it is the vote for a so-called "Brexit" that will be on everyone's lips. NATO insists Brexit makes no difference, but it clearly adds to uncertainty amid fears Russia may exploit any opening as Britain negotiates its way out of the EU in difficult and complex talks. The Ukraine crisis proved a rude wake-up call for NATO and the summit is meant to convey a clear message to Moscow that it will not be caught napping again. The Readiness Action Plan, agreed at the 2014 Wales summit, included a pledge to spend two per cent of annual economic output on defence, ending years of cuts. To reassure nervous east European allies, once ruled from Moscow, NATO also tripled the size of its fast Response Force to some 40,000 troops and created a 5,000-strong "Spearhead" unit to deploy within days to any new crisis point. Poland, the summit host, and the three Baltic states have however pushed hard for more, to get a NATO tripwire presence on the ground to deter any Russian adventurism. Leaders will accordingly approve sending one multinational battalion each to Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, up to 4,000 troops in all. Russia bitterly opposes NATO's expansion into its Soviet-era satellites, which it sees as a threat to its own security requiring an appropriate response. "We don't intend to give in to this militaristic frenzy, but it seems that is what they are pushing us to, to provoke a costly and pointless arms race," Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month. Moscow reserves it direst warnings however for a Ballistic Missile Defence system the United States is building and which the summit is due to declare has reached an initial operating level. Washington says the shield is designed to counter missile threats from Iran or the Middle East, but Russia says that once the system becomes fully operational in 2018, it will undercut its strategic nuclear deterrent. The NATO upgrade has largely been driven by the Ukraine crisis, but leaders are increasingly worried by threats to the south in the shape of massive flows of illegal migrants across the Mediterranean and terror groups such as Islamic State gaining ground in Libya. NATO leaders are expected to endorse plans to "project stability" by providing advice and assistance in the region to head off future problems. NATO diplomatic sources say that while the alliance has a role to play, it does not consider itself to be the "first responder" which should be the EU's role. (AFP)

NATO faces up to Russia in Brexit's shadow

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