WARSAW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova — "Given NATO' s expansions to the Russian borders, it's new tactical headquarters in Poland and Romania, its increased military developments and provocative military exercises across Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, Scandinavia and the Black Sea, as well as by the US quadrupling its military spending for Europe, we shouldn't be surprised that Russia is attempting to counterbalance NATO buildup," Joseph Gerson, director of Peace and Economic Security Program at the AFSC said on the sidelines of the summit.
According to Gerson, the West should be alarmed by Moscow's increased concerns, taking into consideration Washington's missile defense deployment in Romania and Poland, as well as development of high-tech and space weapons.
Since 2014, the alliance has been building up its military presence in Europe, especially in Eastern European countries neighboring Russia, using Moscow’s alleged interference in the Ukrainian conflict as a pretext. Moscow has repeatedly denied the claims and warned NATO that the military buildup on Russia’s borders is provocative and threatens the existing strategic balance of power.
The AFSC is a Quaker organization that promotes peace and justice both in the United States and globally. In existence since 1917, the organization won the Nobel Prize in Peace in 1947. Today, AFSC programs are aimed at eliminating violence and resolving conflicts around the world.
