DISINFO: US and NATO actions are escalating tensions in Caucasus
SUMMARY
The actions of US and its NATO allies are not contributing to security and stability of the region. Washington and Brussels are actively developing military cooperation with Georgia and trying to turn the country into the main instrument for opposing Russia. The Alliance is committed to extensive military activity in the region.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on NATO belligerence towards Russia and on Russophobia. NATO seeks no confrontation with Russia. NATO is a defensive alliance. Its purpose is to protect the member states. NATO's exercises and military deployments in the Black Sea are not directed against Russia or any other country. NATO has reached out to Russia consistently, transparently and publicly over the past 29 years. NATO enlargement is not directed against Russia. Every sovereign nation has the right to choose its own security arrangements. This is a fundamental principle of European security, one that Russia has also subscribed to, and should respect. NATO enlargement has brought more stability and prosperity to Europe, including Russia. In 2014 at NATO Wales Summit the alliance agreed to offer Georgia a substantial package of assistance to strengthen Georgia's defence and interoperability capabilities with the Alliance. In August 2015, a NATO-Georgian Joint Training and Evaluation Centre was inaugurated in Krtsanisi to contribute to the training and interoperability of Georgian and Alliance personnel. The Training Centre is not directed against Russia but contributes to stability by making Georgia's armed forces more professional, and by reinforcing the democratic controls over them. The main goal of all the training of the Georgian military with NATO experts is to increase the country's defence capability. Read more about NATO-Georgia relations here. Similar cases can be read here.