“The question itself already reflects the fact that should alert us and which is unacceptable - that Russia has a sphere of influence,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference, answering a question about the possible admission of Ukraine to NATO and how this might affect on relations with Russia.
According to him, this means that Russia is "trying to restore acceptance that it has the right to control its neighbors."
“And this is a world we don't want to return to, a world in which big countries could impose restrictions on what sovereign independent countries could do,” Stoltenberg said.
He recalled that he himself comes from a small “country on the border with Russia” (Norway).
“I am very glad that our NATO allies have never respected Russia's right to establish its sphere of influence in the north, and that Norway, as a small independent country, should or should not do,” the head of the alliance said.
Stoltenberg added that Russia "does not have the right to veto or vote on this issue," and also "cannot try to establish its own sphere of interest."