Putin: Russia will react extremely negatively to Georgian membership in NATO [VIDEO]
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The Russian President Vladimir Putin told Fox News on Monday that Russia would react "extremely negatively” to the membership of Georgia and Ukraine in NATO.
For us, well, it is a direct and immediate threat to our national security,” Putin said and added that moving NATO infrastructure towards Russian borders "is a threat” for his country.
Putin stated that he was concerned by the expansion of NATO’s facilities and infrastructure.
question about Georgia-Ukraine NATO membership on 15:30.
The number of servicemen is on the rise in regions where they should not be," Putin said.
The military contingent in those regions has been increased by 10,000 people. This is incompliant with the treaties between Russia and NATO. And this is a destabilizing factor, which we have to take into account,” Putin said.
The interview came after Putin’s meeting with the US President Donald Trump in Helsinki the same day.
Vladimir Putin has received 94.1 percent of votes in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia region, local media has reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law ratifying a so-called treaty on ‘Alliance and Strategic Partnership' with Georgia's breakaway region Abkhazia today.
Vladimir Putin has received 92.8 percent of votes in Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, local media has reported.
Georgian Foreign Minister has released a statement condemning the opening of 33 polling stations in the Russian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) for today’s Russian presidential elections.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze to NATO Headquarters today reiterating the alliance’s support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations at a joint briefing.
Maria Zakharova, head of the press office of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated today that NATO-Georgia drills nourish a militarist mood, referring to the Noble Partner multinational exercise being conducted near Tbilisi.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says that Georgia’s accession to NATO may trigger "a terrible conflict" which will lead to catastrophic consequences.
Angela Merkel has visited the occupation line in the village of Odzisi before leaving Georgia. Merkel spent half an hour in the village and took the opportunity to observe the territories beyond the occupation line through binoculars.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that Russian propaganda and the information war is not a challenge only for Georgia, but also for European countries.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, currently visiting Georgia, says Georgia has shown progress in economic, security and defence issues and that these and other successful reforms will lead the country towards NATO membership.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says that North Macedonia’s accession into NATO means that the alliance door remains open to countries that meet the alliance’s standards and which adhere to NATO values of democracy.
Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu says that the expansion of NATO military potential “destroys” the existing world security system and forces Russia to take responding steps, Shoygu said at a recent meeting in the Russian defence ministry.