Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


              NATO: Maneuvers Aimed at Showing Readiness to Russia

   by VOA News

   More than 2,000 troops from nine NATO nations are on the march in
   Poland, participating in the first exercise of NATO's new rapid
   response force. Alliance leaders say the exercises are intended to
   reassure eastern European member-countries rattled by Russia's role in
   the Ukraine crisis.

   NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg joined reporters Thursday in western
   Poland, where they witnessed an hour-long display of live firepower
   from Polish, Czech and Lithuanian special forces. U.S. and Polish
   fighter jets and German armor also participated.

   Ahead of the demonstration, Stoltenberg told Germany's Bild newspaper
   that the drills send "a clear signal that our alliance is prepared,
   willing and able to cope with all challenges lying ahead of us."

   Stoltenberg also criticized Russia's "aggressive actions" in Ukraine,
   where pro-Russian separatists are battling Ukraine forces for control
   of the country's Russian-speaking east.

   "Russia supports the separatists with training, weapons and soldiers,"
   he said. He repeated recent assertions that Moscow's backing includes
   more than 1,000 tanks, artillery and air defense systems.

   Stoltenberg described Russian President Vladimir Putin's threat this
   week to counter NATO by boosting his country's nuclear arsenal as
   "saber rattling" that "destabilizes the situation and is very
   dangerous."

   The Kremlin routinely denies providing Ukrainian rebels with troops or
   hardware, and says Russian soldiers seen or captured in Ukraine are
   there as volunteers.

   Speaking alongside Stoltenberg Thursday, Polish Defense Minister Tomasz
   Siemoniak told the French news agency that Europe's extended period of
   post-Cold War peace is "now over." He linked his comments to an array
   of crises facing Europe, including Ukraine, the growing threat from
   Islamist extremists and instability in North Africa.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/nato-says-poland-maneuvers-show-russi
   a-readiness/2828567.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/nato-says-poland-maneuvers-show-russia-readiness/2828567.html