Expansion of NATO's presence in Eastern Europe is a response to Russia's actions in Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated at the Warsaw Summit Experts' Forum.

He noted that Poland, the Baltic countries, they are sovereign, independent nations and they have decided by democratic decisions to join NATO. Those decisions are decisions which, of course, NATO respects, that’s the reason why they are members. And they have welcomed them as members of the Alliance. And they are contributing a lot to our Alliance.

It’s their sovereign right to decide their own path, including what kind of security arrangements they want to be part of. They are increasing their military presence in the Baltic countries and Poland, but there is no doubt that is something they do as a response to what Russia did in Ukraine.

No-one talked about any military presence of the kind we now see in Poland and the Baltic countries before Ukraine, before the illegal annexation of Crimea.

What they do is defensive, it is proportionate, and it’s fully in line with their international commitments. And it is no way something that justifies any reactions from Russia. Because it is in all ways defensive measures from the NATO side.

They have seen a more assertive Russia. They have seen a Russia which has been willing to use military force against sovereign nations in Europe. With aggressive actions against Ukraine, the illegal annexation of Crimea. And that’s the reason, the main reason, why we are now increasing our military presence in the eastern part of the Alliance.