Eastern European NATO countries on Tuesday warned that Russian mercenary group, Wagner’s move to Belarus would create greater regional instability. However, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance is ready to defend itself against any threat.
“If Wagner deploys its serial killers in Belarus, all neighbouring countries face the even bigger danger of instability,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said after a meeting in The Hague with Stoltenberg and government leaders from six other NATO allies.
“This is really serious and very concerning, and we have to make very strong decisions. It requires a very, very tough answer of NATO,” Polish President Andrzej Duda added.
On Tuesday, mercenary group Wagner’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin arrived in Belarus under an agreement negotiated by President Alexander Lukashenko that ended mutiny by the group in Russia on Saturday.
NATO’s Stoltenberg said it was too early to say what this could mean for NATO allies, and stressed the increased defence of the alliance’s eastern flank in recent years.
“We have sent a clear message to Moscow and Minsk that NATO is there to protect every ally, every inch of NATO territory,” Stoltenberg said.
“We have already increased our military presence in the eastern part of the alliance and we will make further decisions to further strengthen our collective defence with more high-readiness forces and more capabilities at the upcoming summit.”
Stoltenberg said the mutiny had shown that Putin’s “illegal war” against Ukraine had deepened divisions in Russia.
“At the same time we must not underestimate Russia. So it’s even more important that we continue to provide Ukraine with our support.”
Putin says Wagner mutineers ‘can join army or go to Belarus’
In a televised address to the nation on Monday, President Putin said that he would honour his promise to allow Wagner fighters to relocate to Belarus, if they wanted, or to sign a contract with the Defence Ministry or simply return to their families.
“I thank those soldiers and commanders of the Wagner Group who made the only right decision – they did not turn to fratricidal bloodshed, they stopped at the last line. Today you have the opportunity to continue serving Russia by entering into a contract with the Ministry of Defence or other law enforcement agencies or to return to your family and friends. Whoever wants to can go to Belarus. The promise I made will be fulfilled.”
(With inputs from agencies)
