NATO: Alliance missile defense system is not directed against Russia

“NATO is committed to a dual approach of defense and dialogue.

We will provide strong defenses while remaining ready to talk.

We want to avoid misunderstandings and prevent escalation, ”the Alliance Secretary General said.

A joint statement by the North Atlantic Treaty asserts that NATO's missile defense system "is not directed against Russia and will not undermine Russia's strategic deterrence system."

"The NATO missile defense system is designed to protect against potential threats emanating from outside the Euro-Atlantic region," the document says.

The statement also states that NATO "does not seek confrontation and does not threaten Russia."

As Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier, after Poland and Romania joined NATO, the United States "easily agreed with them on the deployment of missile defense systems there."

He stressed that the launchers of these systems can be used for strike systems that reach Moscow in 15 minutes.