NATO will not compromise on expansion and troop deployment in eastern Europe. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, RIA Novosti reports.

“We are now at a critical moment for European security and we must talk to Russia, among other things, in order to convey to her the unanimous position of all allies that we will not make any compromises when it comes to principle,” said the NATO Secretary General.

Stoltenberg stressed that each country has the right to choose its own path, as well as to decide on joining the alliance.

“Also key is our right to protect all allies and station troops in the eastern part of NATO. At the same time, we need to talk, and therefore we proposed a dialogue regarding arms control, the transparency of military exercises, mechanisms related to the reduction of risks, for example, incidents and many other issues” , he explained.

Earlier in a telephone conversation between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NATO Secretary General, both sides agreed that Ukraine should be free in its quest for NATO membership. At the same time, Johnson and Stoltenberg consider it important that Russia does not close the door to dialogue and participate in constructive discussions.

Russian Ambassador to Great Britain Andrei Kelin noted that Moscow insists on clear legal guarantees of NATO's non-expansion to the East. According to him, if Russia now agrees to discuss arms control, a moratorium on the deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles, and transparency, its key requirement for an alliance will be dissolved in this “set”.

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