German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier harshly criticized NATO, claiming that the security of the European Union countries will be harmed by NATO’s “war games” with Russia and the whole eastern region of the continent.
According to Steinmeier, NATO’s actions could “provoke old rivalries” between the countries. He referred to NATO’s grandiose military exercise in Poland in which it is simulating a possible reaction to the “Russian aggressiveness.”
“Anyone who thinks a symbolic tank parade on the alliance’s eastern border will bring security is mistaken,” said the German minister in an interview that will be published tomorrow in a German newspaper. “The one thing we shouldn’t do now is provoke the situation with loud sabre-rattling and warmongering.”
NATO’s exercise in Eastern Europe
Reuters/Channel 2 News
“We are well-advised not to create pretexts to renew an old confrontation. We must aim for more cooperation and dialogue with Russia, and it would be a bitter mistake to only focus on the military aspect,” he added and even claimed that Europe should examine instating laws that limit arms within European countries.
The exercise named “Anaconda” is the largest military exercise that NATO has carried out in Europe since the Cold War, bringing 31,000 soldiers from 24 countries to Poland. Among the countries participating are the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and more.