A Russian invasion of Ukraine will backfire because it will only harden the Nato presence in Eastern Europe that Moscow so dislikes, the head of the alliance said.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was ready to step up its presence in the former eastern bloc to “prevent any misunderstanding” about its readiness to defend its territory.
But although Nato will help Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance, to prepare for possible attacks, there are no plans to send combat troops there if Russia invades, he said.
Nato deployments in the former Soviet sphere of influence are viewed with deep suspicion in Moscow, which has sought to use the crisis in Ukraine to press for limits on the alliance’s expansion.
But Mr Stoltenberg said Russia's problems were self-inflicted because of its 2014 annexation of Crimea and continued fears that it plans to invade Ukraine.
“If Russia wants less Nato at its borders, they have actually achieved exactly the opposite,” Mr Stoltenberg told the Atlantic Council think tank.
“And if they use force again against Ukraine, they will achieve even more Nato at their borders.”
Amid a build-up of more than 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s eastern flank, Mr Stoltenberg said Nato was on alert for various forms of aggression – from sabotage efforts or support for a coup to an all-out invasion.
He said the build-up was continuing with heavy armour, aircraft and missiles potentially available to attack Ukraine, while Russian troops simultaneously make manoeuvres in Belarus, an ally of Moscow.
Nato and Washington have said they do not know what Russia’s intentions are, or whether the Kremlin itself has decided on whether to invade.
While there is no consensus among Nato allies on how much military support to provide to Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg said there was unity on providing a firm deterrent to Russia in the alliance’s member states.
Germany, which has held out against providing weapons to Ukraine, is leading a battlegroup of Nato personnel in Lithuania, which is part of the alliance.
Mr Stoltenberg suggested that a potential greater Nato presence in eastern Europe was part of the heavy price that Russia has repeatedly been told it would pay for an invasion.
This could also include economic sanctions being prepared by Europe and the US, potentially involving direct measures against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But Nato allies “are, at the same time, pursuing the diplomatic track, because the best solution would be to prevent any intervention into Ukraine”, Mr Stoltenberg said.
Moscow insists it has no plans to invade, and said on Friday that it was open to further talks with the US on Russian proposals to limit Nato expansion.
A Nato response to these proposals went down badly in Moscow, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying he felt embarrassed for the authors.
Nato’s suggestions, as described by Mr Stoltenberg, include extra lines of communication with Moscow.
But Mr Lavrov signalled there was more scope for discussion on a separate response by the US. He expects to speak to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the next two weeks, after they met in Geneva last week.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden on Friday sought to maintain pressure on Mr Putin by announcing a small troop deployment to eastern Europe.
As President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged western leaders to avoid stirring "panic" over the Russian troop build-up on his country's borders, Mr Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on the need for de-escalation.
In Washington, Mr Biden nevertheless said he would soon send a small number of US troops to bolster the Nato presence in Eastern Europe as tensions remain heightened.
At the Pentagon, officials urged a focus on diplomacy while saying that Russia now had enough troops and equipment in place to threaten the whole of Ukraine.
Any such conflict, said US general and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, would be "horrific" for both sides.
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Community Shield info
Where, when and at what time Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday at 5pm (UAE time)
Arsenal line up (3-4-2-1) Petr Cech; Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck; Alexandre Lacazette
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Chelsea line up (3-4-2-1) Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill; Victor Moses, Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Willian, Pedro; Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte
Referee Bobby Madley
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The%20specs
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The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
MATCH DETAILS
Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)
Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
India Test squad
Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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