MOSCOW (Sputnik) — NATO plans to deploy military forces in Romania are inadequate and confrontational, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich said Wednesday.
According to Lukashevich, the Romanian government is sacrificing the safety of the region by agreeing to deploy the bloc's military forces.
"One is tempted to conclude that the current Romanian authorities, in order to raise their 'profile' in the eyes of the overseas strategists… are willing to sacrifice maintenance of stability in the Black Sea region for tactical reasons," Lukashevich said.
Lukashevich added that Russia clearly poses no threat to Romania or any other country, thus statements on the "defensive character" of NATO activities in light of false accusations of Moscow aggression make no sense at all.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to encircle NATO… pic.twitter.com/7glMOwklqk
— David Traynier (@DTraynier) 29 Март 2015
Last week, the United States deployed 12 A-10 Warthog planes and 200 airmen and support equipment to Romania to ensure a posture of security to allies in the region.
In early February, NATO defense ministers agreed to set up a new high-readiness group dubbed Spearhead Force as part of the NATO Response Force. The ministers also decided to establish six command and control units in Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
According to the US Missile Defense Agency, the United States will install an Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense complex in Romania in 2015 and a similar system in Poland by 2018.
Russia has repeatedly expressed concern over NATO's increased military presence in Eastern Europe.
