NATO urged to stand up to Russia's military buildup, boost defense

PanARMENIAN.Net - NATO's Parliamentary Assembly urged alliance members Monday, May 30 to stand up to Russia's military assertiveness and to do a better job sharing the burden of collective defense, the Associated Press reports.

A unanimously approved declaration called on alliance members "to provide reassurance to those allies who feel their security is under threat, focusing on the eastern and southern flanks of the alliance."

The declaration sought to strengthen conventional and nuclear deterrence measures, heighten NATO military preparedness, and boost cooperation with non-NATO members Sweden and Finland. All are expected objectives of the alliance's July 8-9 summit in Warsaw.

The assembly president, American lawmaker Michael R. Turner, declared that "Russia's aggressiveness comes with a price" as he appealed to European partners to boost defense spending, AP says.

"Moscow has decided that its own interests are better served if it works against us rather than with us," said Turner, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio. "The challenge from Russia is real and serious."

NATO Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow said NATO would maintain dialogue with Russia "but there can be no return to 'business as usual' ... until Russia once again demonstrates respect for international law and the norms of international behavior."

Vershbow said NATO members would seek to strengthen the alliance's defense capabilities and logistical support for other allies bordering Russia at the Warsaw summit. He urged members to follow through on their previous commitments to increase defense spending to at least 2 percent of national economic output.

Monday's declaration specified that all members should achieve this target by 2020. It said NATO nations also should "continue to explore ways to reduce tensions with Russia and avoid miscalculations and incidents," AP says.