January 21, 2022 UPDATE

Russia has called on NATO to withdraw all its troops from ex-Soviet states.

Newsroom, 21.01.2022, 16:29

RUSSIA-ROMANIA RELATIONS – On Friday, Russia
called on NATO to withdraw its troops from Romania and Bulgaria, as part of its
so-called security guarantees. The Russian Foreign Ministry wants NATO to
withdraw its troops, equipment and weapons from ex-Soviet states that were not
part of the Alliance in 1997. Such is the case of Romania and Bulgaria,
although analysts say Russia’s demands might also target Poland and the Baltic
states. The Kremlin claims the West had promised in the 1990s, at the end of
the Cold War, that NATO would never expand to states behind the former Iron
Curtain. From Poland to Bulgaria, all former USSR satellites in Central and
Eastern Europe are today part of NATO, as well as Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania.

In response to Friday’s announcement, the
Romanian Foreign Ministry described Moscow’s request as ill-timed and baseless.
This type of behavior continues to intensify at present, despite NATO’s
attempts to engage in a constructive dialogue, the Romanian MFA writes. The Ministry
also recalls that Russia’s request was actually included on its list of
security guarantees forwarded to Western powers in December last year.

President Klaus Iohannis has called a meeting
of the country’s Supreme Defense Council on January 26. (VP)