DISINFO: NATO is an aggressive, russophobic and absolutely destabilising structure
SUMMARY
NATO is an aggressive and absolutely destabilising structure that is engaged in outright Russophobic affairs. The issue of Armenia's accession to NATO is being decided by the country's leadership, but this will not improve the situation in the South Caucasus or assist Armenia in solving security problems. If there are doubts, let them look at the situation in Ukraine. Did it become safer there after Ukraine wanted to join NATO and pursued a policy of maximum possible rapprochement with this aggressive bloc? NATO pursues a single goal: to create a hotbed of tension near the Russian borders. Armenia should not repeat the path and mistakes of Ukraine.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO, portraying it as a belligerent organisation.
The statement was made, when Gunther Fehlinger, the chair of an Austrian NGO called the Committee for NATO Membership of Austria, Kosovo, Bosnia, Ukraine and EU addressed the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on the social network X (Twitter). “I call on Armenia to join NATO.”
Russia immediately responded to this tweet, warning what would happen to Armenia in case of rapprochement with NATO. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister calls EU statements about Armenia’s need to join NATO “big fantasies.” Russia also has voiced its concerns regarding Armenia’s plans to conduct a joint military exercise with the United States, with many interpreting this exercise as the latest indication of the former Soviet republic moving away from Moscow.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry said that "nobody in NATO has called on Armenia to join the alliance, while Yerevan stands ready to continue cooperation with the organisation". Deputy Minister Kostanyan said that Fehlinger is not a NATO representative. He is just the leader of an NGO whose name contains the word NATO. "
NATO is a defensive alliance whose primary aim is to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security, and territorial integrity of its members. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's official policy is that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia."
Since Russia began its aggressive actions against Ukraine, Russian officials have accused NATO of a series of threats and hostile actions.
Read five Russian Myths debunked here.
See similar cases in our database: The role of NATO is to increase the confrontation with Russia; NATO aims to destabilise Europe; Russophobic Baltic NATO-States responsible for turning defensive NATO-alliance into a confrontation with Russia.