Albania鈥檚 Prime Minister Edi Rama, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Poland鈥檚 President Andrzej Duda, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Romania鈥檚 President Klaus Iohannis and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store attend a press conference after a working dinner for NATO leaders at the Catshuis, in The Hague, Netherlands June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
THE HAGUE 鈥� Eastern European Nato countries on Tuesday warned that a move of Wagner鈥檚 Russian mercenary troops to Belarus would create greater regional instability, but Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is ready to defend itself against聽any聽threat.
鈥淚f Wagner deploys its serial killers in Belarus, all neighbouring countries face even bigger danger of instability,鈥� Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said after a meeting in The Hague with Stoltenberg and government leaders from six other Nato allies.
鈥淭his is really serious and very concerning, and we have to make very strong decisions. It requires a very, very tough answer of Nato,鈥� Polish President Andrzej Duda added.
Albania鈥檚 Prime Minister Edi Rama, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Poland鈥檚 President Andrzej Duda, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Romania鈥檚 President Klaus Iohannis and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store attend a press conference after a working dinner for NATO leaders at the Catshuis, in The Hague, Netherlands June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin arrived in Belarus on Tuesday under a deal negotiated by President Alexander Lukashenko that ended the mercenaries鈥� mutiny in Russia on Saturday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wagner鈥檚 fighters would be offered the choice of relocating there.
Nato鈥檚 Stoltenberg said it was too early to say what this could mean for Nato allies, and stressed the increased defence of the alliance鈥檚 eastern flank in recent years.
鈥淲e have sent a clear message to Moscow and Minsk that Nato is there to protect every ally, every inch of Nato territory,鈥� Stoltenberg said.
鈥淲e have already increased our military presence in the eastern part of the alliance and we will make further decisions to further strengthen our collective defence with more high-readiness forces and more capabilities at the upcoming summit.鈥�
Poland鈥檚 President Andrzej Duda, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte attend a press conference after a working dinner for NATO leaders at the Catshuis, in The Hague, Netherlands June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
Stoltenberg said the mutiny had shown that Putin鈥檚 鈥渋llegal war鈥� against Ukraine had deepened divisions in Russia.
鈥淎t the same time we must not underestimate Russia. So it鈥檚 even more important that we continue to provide Ukraine with our support.鈥�
Poland鈥檚 Duda said he hoped the threat posed by Wagner forces would be on the agenda at a summit of all 31 Nato members in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 11-12.
RELATED STORIES
Mercenary chief will move to Belarus after march challenging Putin聽
Wagner mutiny exposes risks for China鈥檚 deep Russian ties聽