NATO should not have a pro-war policy on Russia: German Foreign Minister

Berlin: NATO is trying to threaten by displaying its military power and indulging in war gamesin Eastern Europe that it mightpossibly catapult intoan alarming situation, warned the German Foreign Minister. The Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier criticized saying that NATO should not accept such warfare policy against Russia. This critical statement made by the German Foreign Minister, highlights the lack of unity amongst the member nations of NATO pact countries on the Russian front.

In an interview given to Germany’s ‘Bild am Sonntag’ daily, Steinmeier has targeted NATO closely. German Foreign Minister warned, “There is a possibility of the regional security getting adversely affected due to the colossal war practice initiatedby NATO this month. Such a type of practice can createmore tension within Russia. NATO should not try to stokethe explosive situation further by displaying its military strength or by adoptinga combative stance.

Mr Steinmeierfurther added that it will be misleading for people to believe that East European border will be protected due to NATO’s tanks’ parade. He also said that it is a proper advice that such an atmosphere should not be created as it has the potential to stir bygone sentiments causing for conflicts to again spiral up. NATO should, on the contrarystress more on discussions with Russia and work towards mutual cooperation rather than conducting war games, added the Foreign Minister.

NATO has planned for a huge war exercisewhich includes the ‘sebarstrike-2016’ and ‘Anaconda-16’ in 3 countries of Eastern Europe. This exercisehas started May end and will continue till the month of July. This practice includes more than 30 thousand soldiers, fighter planes, battleships, tanks and well equipped vehicles. This is the biggest war exercisethat has been organised by NATO and America in the Eastern Europe.

During the past one year, Russia has been stressing on aggressive defence preparedness and has deployed a huge military on the adjoining European border. At the same time, many incidences show the increasing presence of Russian warships and fighter planes alongthe European boundaries. A report warning that Russia can takeover the Baltic nations of Europe in just 60 hours was recently published. To confront this defence preparedness of Russia, NATO, with the help of US, has increased the deployment of army in Europe. The war exercisescommenced from the past month are considered as a trial of this military deployment.

Althoughthough Russia has expressed repeated disappointment against such war exercises, the senior German Minister’sintense criticism of NATO is considered to be the first of it’s kind which ever happened.