NATO May Boost Eastern Flank if Russia Maintains Current Stance - Warsaw

NATO could strengthen its military presence in Eastern Europe if Russia does not change its "position," the head of the Polish National Security Bureau, Pawel Soloch, said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — NATO is expected to make a final decision about the deployment of four battalions in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia at its upcoming Warsaw summit due to take place on July 8-9.

"We expect that decisions made at the summit, if we're talking about an enhanced presence [in the region], will not be final; the size of the forces could possibly be enlarged if Russia doesn't change its position," Soloch told the Polish Press Agency.

He added that the issue of the deployment of additional troops should be considered in the context of Russia's "offensive" position in the region.

Since 2014, NATO has been building up its military presence in Europe, using Moscow's alleged interference in Ukraine as a pretext for the move. Moscow has repeatedly denied the claims and warned NATO that the military buildup on Russia’s borders is provocative and threatens the existing strategic balance of power.