Stoltenberg says NATO does not want new Cold War

By Ilker Girit

ISTANBUL (AA) - NATO does not want a new Cold War, its secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Monday.

Speaking at the plenary session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Bucharest, Stoltenberg said the alliance was calling on Russia “to abide by its international commitments".

In response to Russia's military deployment near Europe's eastern borders, the secretary-general said NATO was concerned about military build-ups close to its members.

Russia held the maneuvers -- called ZAPAD 2017 -- with Belarus near NATO's eastern border in Sept.

At the same time, NATO's Rapid Trident drill, involving 14 NATO member states -- including Turkey -- was active in Ukraine's western Lvov region.

Between the exercises, NATO also deployed a number of troops in eastern European countries such as Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

"NATO’s actions are defensive, proportionate and entirely in line with our international commitments," Stoltenberg stated.

He also said some NATO deployments were a "direct response to Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine".

"We do not want to isolate Russia. NATO does not want a new Cold War,” he added.