Baltic nations call for bigger Nato presence to counter Russia

NATO must deploy more troops to Eastern Europe if Russian soldiers do not leave Belarus after major military exercises due to begin this week, Baltic countries have warned.

The foreign ministers of Latvia and Estonia said that extra forces would be needed to counter Russia’s increased presence – regardless of whether an invasion of Ukraine went ahead – because the security balance in the region would be “significantly” altered.

Moscow yesterday sent a pair of longrange nuclear-capable bombers on patrol over Belarus ahead of war games that are due to begin on Thursday that and involve about 30,000 Russian combat troops plus fighter jets and air defence systems deployed to the country in recent weeks.

Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary general, called it “the biggest Russian deployment there since the Cold War”.

For neighbouring Baltic nations, it is yet another worrying sign of the shifting dynamics in the region.

“If Russian troops stay in Belarus, regardless if there is an invasion of Ukraine or not, that changes significantly changes the situation in the region. And then we also need to reassess our measures to address the security deficit in the region,” said Edgars Rinkevics, the foreign minister of Latvia, which borders Belarus.

There will need to be “more Nato presence” in the region unless Russian troops leave at the end of the February exercises, he said.

Vladimir Putin has massed more than 100,000 troops close to the border with Ukraine as he pushes for security guarantees over the expansion of Nato.

Eva-Maria Liimets, the foreign minister of Estonia, where UK-led Nato forces are stationed, also said the joint exercises were “a very destabilising factor”.

“Nato should take into account the consequences and also provide solutions by increasing defence capabilities in our region,” she said.

“We of course hope that Belarus continues to be a sovereign country and there will be no permanent presence of Russian troops in Belarus.”

The Russian troop deployment to Belarus has raised concerns in the West that Moscow could stage an attack on Ukraine from the north.

The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, is just 50 miles from the border with Belarus, which has sought close ties with Moscow following EU sanctions over human rights violations.

Boris Johnson discussed the Ukraine crisis by phone with Emmanuel Macron, the French president, yesterday. Among the topics they talked about was “their work to strengthen Nato’s eastern flank, ensuring that allies are fully defended against malicious Russian activity, wherever and however it might occur”, according to a Downing Street spokesman.

They also agreed to continue co-ordinating on a package of sanctions that would be triggered immediately in the case of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Macron will travel to Moscow tomorrow to meet Mr Putin, the first Western leader to do so since the crisis began in December.