"Georgia and Ukraine have the sovereign right to choose their allies, and Russia has no right to dictate such a choice," Stoltenberg said in a statement to RIA Novosti.
He also noted that NATO will continue to provide political and practical support to Georgia and Ukraine.
Stoltenberg stressed that regarding Georgia, “NATO will continue to help it improve its defense capabilities through joint exercises and naval support.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that further NATO expansion should not occur.
According to him, NATO's intentions to constantly approach the Russian borders are an alarming factor and an element of destabilization of the situation in the Euro-Atlantic area.