MOSCOW, September 15 (RIA Novosti) - NATO does not consider Russia an 'imminent threat' to its members, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Monday.
"I do not think Russia poses an imminent threat to the NATO allies for the very reason that Russia knows that we have an Article 5 in our NATO treaty that protects any allies against attack, and an attack on one would be an attack on the whole alliance. Russia knows that and that is why I do not think Russia poses an imminent threat to the alliance," Rasmussen told reporters.
"However, to keep our deterrence credible, we have taken steps, as you know, to reinforce our collective defense," he added.
The NATO chief also said that the international community should prevent by all means necessary a "frozen conflict" in Ukraine, the scenario Russia wants, according to Rasmussen.
"We should never accept a new frozen conflict in eastern Europe. Of course, we should do all we can to encourage a peaceful solution to this conflict."
An armed confrontation in eastern Ukraine began in mid-April, when Kiev launched a military operation against independence supporters who refused to acknowledge the new government that was instated after the February 22 coup.
On September 5, the Contact Group on Ukraine, comprising the representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), held a meeting in Minsk, which resulted in a ceasefire agreement between Kiev and independence supporters in eastern Ukraine.
Russia has been accused by Kiev and the West of providing Donbas independence supporters with military assistance. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the internal Ukrainian conflict.
