NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has confirmed that the Western military alliance is prepared to defend itself against any threat posed by the move of Russia's Wagner mercenary force to Belarus.
The move was negotiated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, which narrowly prevented the mercenaries from marching on Moscow after the private army mutinied against Russia's military leaders.
Stoltenberg said that if Wagner deploys its serial killers in Belarus, all neighboring countries face even bigger danger of instability. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that the threat posed by Wagner mercenaries to NATO would be on the agenda at a summit of all 31 members in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12.
Stoltenberg said it was too early to say what the Wagner presence in Belarus could mean for NATO allies, but that the military alliance would protect "every ally, every inch of NATO territory" against threats from either "Moscow or Minsk."
The alliance has already increased its military presence in the eastern part of the alliance and will make further decisions to further strengthen their collective defense with more high-readiness forces and more capabilities at the upcoming summit.
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