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NATO wants to strengthen eastern flank
STORY: In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NATO wants to double the number of combat units on the eastern flank from four to eight, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced in Brussels on Wednesday. “The first step is the stationing of four new NATO combat troops in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.” The heads of state and government are to make the decision at their summit on Thursday, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also be involved Stoltenberg again ruled out that NATO could monitor a no-fly zone in Ukraine. He called on Russia to refrain from threats to use weapons of mass destruction. “Russia must stop its nuclear saber-rattling. This is dangerous and irresponsible. NATO is there to protect and defend all allies. And we are sending a very clear message to Russia that a nuclear war cannot be won and should never be waged.” According to a media report, Moscow recently said that nuclear weapons would only be used if the country saw its existence threatened The Tass agency quoted the Russian presidential office spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. President Vladimir Putin announced that he wanted to change the payment method for gas deliveries to “unfriendly states”. In future, bills should be paid in rubles. The government and central bank should clarify details within a week. According to the responsible governor, a cease-fire was agreed for the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk on Wednesday, where civilians are said to be ready to leave, while fighting continued in many places in Ukraine.
While NATO is announcing that it wants to double the number of units on the eastern flank, “unfriendly states” are to pay for Russian gas supplies in rubles in the future.