Russia sees NATO neighbours as ongoing threat, Medvedev says

Russia cannot tolerate having neighbouring countries that are "hostile" or aligned with NATO, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and Chairman of the United Russia party, said during a visit to the Sverdlovsk region.

Medvedev emphasised that having countries next to Russia that are unfriendly and members of the North Atlantic Alliance would pose a constant threat, Caliber.Az reports per TASS. 

He added that in the event of territorial conflicts, the risk of war would become systemic. According to Medvedev, this, he said, was a key rationale behind Russia’s “special military operation,” what Russia calls its invasion of Ukraine, which, he said, aims to eliminate such "potential threats" in the future.

Russia has long expressed strong opposition to NATO expansion, viewing the alliance’s presence near its borders as a strategic threat. 

By Sabina Mammadli