The threat of war has not left Ukraine’s neighboring areas. NATO says it has not received confirmation of Russia’s withdrawal. According to Finland’s NATO ambassador, the crisis has not affected NATO-Finland relations.
NATO Secretary General, opening the NATO Defense Ministers’ Meeting Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that Russia is strengthening its forces in the vicinity of Ukraine. More is coming, he says.
Russia’s defense ministry said Tuesday that some Russian troops had retreated to the bases, and footage of the tankers’ transport was provided. This has not convinced NATO.
“Russia has moved forces back and forth in the past, so the battleground movements we’ve seen aren’t yet confirming the withdrawal,” Stoltenberg told Reuters.
Also the President of the United States Joe Biden it has not yet been possible to ensure that Russian troops have withdrawn from the vicinity of Ukraine’s borders.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Biden said Russia’s attack is still possible.
The threat of attack is still a shadow
The shadow of the Russian operation has therefore not receded when the meeting of NATO defense ministers began in Brussels.
During the two-day meeting, NATO defense ministers will meet with representatives of Ukraine and Georgia to discuss the escalating situation in the Black Sea region.
The partner countries Finland and Sweden have also been invited to the meeting. On Thursday, NATO countries will discuss with representatives of Finland, Sweden and the European Union. Finland is represented by the Minister of Defense Antti Kaikkonen (center).
Finland’s ambassador to NATO is familiar at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels Klaus Korhoselle. He has served as Finland’s NATO representative for more than two years.
While visiting Finland last week, Korhonen stated in an interview that the situation in and around Ukraine now dominates work in both NATO and the EU.
– The hustle and bustle has increased a lot, describes Korhonen’s atmosphere in Brussels.
The concentration of Russian forces has dominated the flow of news during the crisis, and the growing presence of the United States in NATO’s eastern member states has also emerged.
However, Korhonen points out that as an organization, NATO has emphasized moderation.
– My observation is that NATO, as a defense alliance, is extremely cautious and conservative. It seeks to avoid any action that could exacerbate the situation or give rise to accusations of escalating the situation.
NATO is focusing on its own activities
According to Korhonen, the position of NATO’s partner countries Finland and Sweden has not changed. However, Partner countries are receiving less attention than usual as NATO has to focus on its own activities. ** **
– In this situation, it is emphasized that NATO makes decisions among itself and is then discussed separately with partner countries, says Korhonen.
Finland and Sweden in the same boat
– Finland and Sweden are in close contact with each other and try to coordinate their activities, says Korhonen.
According to him, the countries are NATO partners in the same boat. When discussions take place, Finns and Swedes are involved together.
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