NATO on alert as Russia moves troops into Belarus, Stoltenberg says

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that the alliance was ready to increase its troop presence in eastern Europe and was watching very closely as Russia moves soldiers and weapons in Belarus. Stoltenberg, speaking online from Brussels at a Washington think-tank event, said Russia was deploying thousands of combat-ready troops, aircraft and S-400 weapon systems into Belarus. "From the NATO side we are ready to engage in political dialogue. "We are not planning to deploy combat-ready troops to Ukraine."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that the alliance was ready to increase its troop presence in eastern Europe and was watching very closely as Russia moves soldiers and weapons in Belarus.

Stoltenberg, speaking online from Brussels at a Washington think-tank event, said Russia was deploying thousands of combat-ready troops, aircraft and S-400 weapon systems into Belarus.

"From the NATO side we are ready to engage in political dialogue. But we're also ready to respond if Russia chooses an armed conflict confrontation," Stoltenberg said. "We are not planning to deploy combat-ready troops to Ukraine."