A strong Russia should not be feared, but the
country will defend its interests in the face of a threat, the Kremlin
said Thursday. The comments follow warnings this week from U.S. Defense
Secretary Ash Carter that the military alliance NATO should consider
increasing its presence on the Eastern European borders with Russia as
Moscow has built up its military near the Baltic states and in the
Arctic Circle.
“A resurgent Russia is not a threat to
anyone,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to a Reuters
report. “But at the same time Russia certainly cannot ignore any
actions that may pose a direct or potential threat to its national
interests and, traditionally, the Russian side will defend its interests
if need be.”
Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in March
2014, in a move that many international powers, including NATO member
the U.S., condemned as a violation of international law. In the more
than two years since, the Kremlin has completed a military base in the
Arctic Circle and deployed troops
near the borders of some of the Baltic states, while frequently
carrying out air drills near northern European countries such as
Finland.
U.S.
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter says the U.S. may send a third Army
brigade to the Baltic states. Above, Carter speaks at the Pentagon, May
1, 2015. Photo: Getty Images
Carter said Tuesday the U.S. would consider
deploying a third U.S. army brigade and 4,000 additional NATO troops to
the Baltic States in the coming year. U.S. authorities have also
condemned the Kremlin’s frequent statements regarding its potential
willingness to use a nuclear weapon.
“Moscow’s nuclear saber rattling raises troubling questions
about Russia’s leaders’ commitment to strategic stability, their
respect for norms against the use of nuclear weapons and whether they
respect the profound caution that nuclear-age leaders showed with regard
to brandishing nuclear weapons,” Carter said.
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