Poland, Sweden sign deal to boost military ties
NATO member Poland has inked a deal with non-member Sweden to boost military cooperation in a bid to repel alleged threats from Russia in the region.
"Once a sea of peace, the Baltic has become a sea of danger," said Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak at a joint news conference with his Swedish counterpart, Peter Hultqvist, in Warsaw after signing the deal on Monday.
Rehashing anti-Russia allegations, Hultqvist said Stockholm has made "two strategic decisions" due to the rising presence of Russian warplanes and warships in the region: to expand military ties with NATO member states and to increase its defense budget by 11 percent within the next five years.
On July 24, Poland and Lithuania, another NATO member, signed a deal with Ukraine to form a Warsaw-based joint military unit, which is allegedly tasked with peacekeeping missions.
Warsaw-Stockholm deal came three days after Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova voiced concern over Sweden’s plan to join NATO, vowing that Moscow would adopt retaliatory measures in case Stockholm implements its controversial decision.
Zakharova’s remarks greatly infuriated the Swedish officials who summoned the Russian ambassador to Stockholm, asking him to elaborate on Russia’s stance on the issue.
NATO-Moscow relations have been extremely tense in recent months. NATO, led by the US, and Kiev accuse the Kremlin of supporting pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine. Russia categorically denies the allegations, saying NATO is responsible for the flare-up in Ukraine.
The two mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine have been the scene of deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev’s military operation started in April 2014 in a bid to crush the protests.
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