Press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium  Feb. 10, 2022. 

By  Gary   Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Europe is facing the the biggest security threat that it has faced for decades amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis, UK Prime Minister Boris  Johnson said during his appearance at NATO headquarters in Brussels Thursday.  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the UK Prime Minister addressed Russia’s military build-up in and around Ukraine.

“This is probably the most dangerous moment, I would say that in the course of the next few days, in what is the biggest security crisis that Europe has faced for decades, and we’ve got to get it right.”

-UK PM Boris Johnson 

The NATO Secretary General said “this is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up. The warning time for a possible attack is going down”. 

Stoltenberg said Russia has already massed well over 100,000 combat-ready troops.

 “And we are closely monitoring Russia’s deployment in Belarus, which is the biggest since the end of the Cold War. This is a dangerous moment for European security. The number of Russian forces is going up.”

-NATO Chief Stoltenberg

“NATO is not a threat to Russia” – Stoltenberg

“Nato is a defensive alliance and our purpose is to preserve peace to prevent conflict. This morning I have sent a letter to Foreign Minister Lavrov. Reiterating my invitation to Russia to continue our dialogue in a series of meetings in the NATO-Russia Council. To find a diplomatic way forward. We are prepared to listen to Russia’s concerns, and ready to discuss ways to uphold and strengthen the fundamental principles of European security that we have all signed up to. But NATO will not compromise on core principles. The right of each nation to choose its own path. And NATO’s ability to protect and defend all Allies,” 

-Stoltenberg said.