Ambassador Surikov: Moscow and Minsk seriously concerned over NATO's increased activity

The authorities of Russia and Belarus are seriously concerned over NATO's plans.

Russia's ambassador to Belarus Alexander Surikov said it in an interview with Ria Novosti.

“Of course, we are concerned. The cold war ended, and the Soviet Union stopped to exist. Russia became twice as small as the USSR. Other post-Soviet states do not pose a real threat to Western European countries, let alone the United States. Nevertheless, NATO is getting closer and closer to Russia's borders,” Surikov noted.

“You'd think that these armed guys want to become friends of our girls. But they take a rifle, a cannon and a tank... They deploy missile defence systems. They say it's against Iran. But they deploy it in Poland. Where's Iran and where's Poland?” he added.

“We cannot but be concerned. Everyone can understand that an American soldier doesn't travel so many kilometres from his home only for his own pleasure. He goes for a certain period to use his force against the countries to which border he came. We have raised our concerns repeatedly, beginning from the president's Munich speech. Ukraine was the finishing touch,” Surikov said.