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NATO deputy chief says Russia now an enemy

02 May 2014 01:29 (UTC +04:00)

NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow made the remarks to a group of reporters on Thursday.

"Clearly, the Russians have declared NATO as an adversary, so we have to begin to view Russia no longer as a partner but as more of an adversary than a partner," Vershbow added.

He stated that the alliance is considering new measures to deter Russia from any aggression against NATO members along its borders.

"We still would defend the sovereignty and freedom of choice of Russia's neighbors, and Russia clearly is trying to re-impose hegemony and limit their sovereignty under the guise of a defense of the Russian world," Vershbow added.

The NATO deputy secretary general said the Western military alliance can deploy more forces to Eastern Europe in order to stop Russia from invading the region.

Tensions between Russia and the West heightened after Ukraine's former Black Sea peninsula of Crimea joined the Russian Federation following a referendum on March 16.

The United States and its European allies also accuse Russia of violating Ukraine’s sovereignty by stirring up pro-Russia protests in eastern Ukraine.

Russia denies the allegation, saying the protests have begun spontaneously against what it calls the illegitimate interim government in Kiev.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said on Tuesday that the crisis in the Eastern European country is the result of the West’s weak policies.