NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on the allies to prepare for a "prolonged conflict" with Russia.
"Russia will remain a destabilizing force in Europe and the world. They are preparing for a long confrontation. We cannot be naive. We must also be ready," he said, speaking at an industrial defense forum in Romania.
In recent years, Russia has been announcing unprecedented NATO activity along its western borders. The alliance is expanding its initiatives and calling them "deterring Russian aggression."
Russian authorities have repeatedly expressed concern about the strengthening of the military-political alliance in Europe. The Kremlin has stated that Russia does not pose a threat to anyone, but will not ignore actions that are potentially dangerous to its interests.
