Russia says that a new NATO plan to enhance its combat readiness in Europe would weaken security on the continent, and is warning that Moscow would take that into account in its own military planning.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko criticized the initiative known as Four Thirties in comments on June 13. He said that Russia would take all necessary military measures to guarantee its own security.
The initiative "creates a threat to European security," Grushko told journalists.
Four Thirties, the U.S.-proposed initiative that was supported by NATO defense ministers on June 7, is meant to protect allies against what NATO says are increased threats from Russia and to bolster combat-readiness by easing the transport of troops across Europe in the event of a crisis.
The plan, whose full details were not revealed, provides for the deployment of 30 troop battalions, 30 squadrons of aircraft, and 30 warships within 30 days. The plan is set to become operational in 2020.
Thousands of NATO troops are already stationed on standby in the Baltic states and Poland as a deterrent, and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg stressed on June 7 that the goals of Four Thirties are increased coordination and better mobility.
"This is not about setting up or deploying new forces. It is about boosting the readiness of existing forces across each and every ally," Stoltenberg said.
"This is about establishing a culture of readiness and we need that because we have a more unpredictable security environment. We have to be prepared for the unforeseen," he said.
Grushko said that Russia’s “views on the preparations made by the alliance on the eastern flank are well-known. We are acting based on the assumption that it substantially worsens military security in Europe."
Asked whether Russia will factor Four Thirties into its own military planning, Grushko told journalists, "Without a doubt, we will take it into account."
"If the need arises, we will take all military-technical measures that will guarantee our security and defense capability," said Grushko, who is a former ambassador to NATO.
Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on June 13 called on NATO to ensure that no state or group would strengthen their security at the expense of the security of others -- the so-called "indivisible security" concept.
"We will continue to call on our NATO counterparts to respect all the agreements...which declare drawing new dividing lines to be unacceptable and emphasize the need to ensure indivisible security so that no one has to strengthen their security by damaging the security of others," Lavrov said in Moscow after talks with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias.
