Russia declares Nato expansion ‘threat to security’
Updated Russian security strategy paper warns that Nato's expansion around the country's borders 'violates norms of internatinal law'
Russian president Vladimir Putin signed the updated security paper that describes Nato as a threat to his country's security
Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed an updated national security paper that describes the expansion of Nato as a threat to the country.
Russia’s national security strategy – which is updated every six years – says that the country’s “independent domestic and foreign policy” has triggered a “counter-action” from the US and its allies.
The paper says that Russia is strengthening its military “on the background of new threats to national security that have a complicated and interlinked character”.
It adds that Nato’s recent build-up of military potential around Russia’s borders constitutes “violations of norms of international law”.
Relations between Russia and the West have sharply deteriorated since the conflict in Ukraine broke out in 2014, which eventually led to Russia annexing Crimea.
In 2014, Russia announced that it was altering its military doctrine to take account of the Ukraine crisis and the presence of Nato in eastern Europe.
Kremlin advisor Mikhail Popov warned that Nato’s enlargement meant that the alliance was getting ever closer to Russia’s borders, presenting an “external threat” to the country.
Albania and Croatia joined Nato in 2009. The alliance in 2011 recognized four aspiring members – Georgia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro.
