NATO will respond to any attack against Poland or the Baltic states, Alliance’s Secretary General Yens Stoltenberg told Reuters.

Being present in Poland and the Baltic states, NATO is sending a very strong signal to Russia that the whole Alliance will respond in case of attack, he said in an interview with a number of newspapers ahead of the NATO summit.

The United States previously called on Turkey to support NATO's defense plan for the Baltic states and Poland. Turkey refused so far saying that NATO should strengthen political support for Ankara in its fight against Kurdish rebels in Syria.

Stoltenberg said he was not against a stronger defensive position in the European Union, but attempts to replace NATO are meaningless.