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RIA Novosti
Eastern European countries are in the atmosphere of “fear and uncertainty” in connection with the upcoming military exercises of Russia and Belarus “West-2017,” said Poland’s Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Wilczek.
Exercises “West-2017” will be held 14-20 September on the territory of Belarus.
“Because of the lack of transparency we don’t know much about it (exercise – ed.). It is a danger, especially for Ukraine, but also for other countries. It is a potential threat. I’m not saying that something will happen, some sort of attack or provocation against a NATO member. But, nevertheless, there is an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, especially associated with the (teachings) of the “West,” said Wilczek, speaking at Uspenskom security forum in the United States.
Previously, a number of NATO countries have expressed concern over the upcoming exercises. So, the defense Ministry of Lithuania has prepared a report on threats to national security and the particular danger it saw in the exercise “Zapad-2017”. Estonian defense Ministry also did not rule out incidents during the exercise.
The Ministry of defense of Belarus called the report speculation and refused to comment on it. Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov said that the statement of the Lithuanian special services are the total manifestation of Russophobia imposed from outside.
Later, the Minister of foreign Affairs of Latvia Edgars rinkēvičs said after talks with his Belarusian counterpart in Minsk had all the answers for the upcoming in September the Belarusian-Russian exercises “West-2017”.