Zas: NATO’s military activity in Eastern Europe is a threat to CSTO States

Increased military activity of NATO countries near the borders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization with Eastern Europe does not contribute to strengthening security in the region, said Stanislav Zas, CSTO Secretary General, in an interview to Belarusian TV channel ONT on Sunday.
“In general, militarization of the Eastern European region near the western borders of the CSTO, the increase in military activity at these borders does not contribute to strengthening the security of all our states, primarily in the Eastern European region; it creates a certain source of threat, it is a fact. That is why we think it is important to reduce the degree of confrontation, tension and military activity and look for other ways to ensure security,” RIA Novosti quotes the interview.
Stanislav Zas noted that the CSTO Member States view the Organization as a fairly effective tool for ensuring security in its area of responsibility. “After all, we have the right to use our collective defence forces in the territories of our states only, while outside our states we can only use peacekeeping units, peacekeeping contingents, and only with the UN Security Council resolution. But within our territories, within our area of responsibility, for us it is in fact a tool for collective security of all our states,” he stressed.
As you may recall, within the framework of the first phase of the exercises of the Armed Forces of the Union State of Belarus and Russia Union Resolve 2022, the forces and assets of the Eastern Military District of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation are being deployed to the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
Units of the Eastern Military District of Russia together with the standard equipment and weapons are deployed to the training locations in Belarus.
At a briefing for foreign military attachés on January 18, Colonel General Aleksandr Fomin, Russian Deputy Minister of Defence, said, “in a certain situation the forces and assets of the regional grouping may not be enough to ensure security of the Union State, and we have to be ready to reinforce it. Together with the Belarusian side we have reached an understanding that the state’s entire military potential must be used for the common protection.”
The second – active – phase will begin on February 10. During the exercise, servicemen will practice episodes of suppression and repulsion of external aggression and joint counter-terrorism actions and coverage of the territory of the Republic by the joint air defence system.
Notably, the manoeuvres will take place not only at training grounds but also in areas close to our borders, where NATO troops are concentrated in neighbouring countries.