Putin: Russian Response Will Be "Extremely Negative" if NATO Expands East

After meeting United States President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. outlet FOX News that Russia's response would be "extremely negative” if NATO were to add either Ukraine or Georgia to the alliance.

“For us, well, it's a direct and immediate threat for our national security…moving this NATO infrastructure towards our borders would be a threat, and…the reaction would be extremely negative,” said the Russian President, adding, "It is a concern for us since NATO is expanding its infrastructure and facilities, the number of servicemen is on the rise in the regions where they shouldn’t be."

He added that the military contingent in those regions has recently increased by 10,000 troops.

“This is incompliant with the treaties between Russia and NATO. And this is a destabilizing factor, which we have to factor in, but we haven’t mentioned this today with President Trump,” he noted.

Putin further explained his position on expansion in the historical context, saying, “Take the NATO expansion to the east. When the Soviet Union was withdrawing troops from Germany, we were told that Russians should know one thing: that NATO would never extend [eastward] beyond the German borders. Within two waves, it happened, despite our principal posture. Nobody gave a damn about our posture."

By Thea Morrison

Photo: timeslive.co.za

Video: Foxnews