NATO says not making war more likely in Europe

NATO deputy spokesperson Carmen Romero claimed on Wednesday that the military drills have been in response to “growing Russian aggression,” rejecting suggestions that the war games are raising possibility of a war in Europe.
 
“They are intended precisely to have the opposite effect: to enhance security and stability in Europe in response to growing Russian aggression,” Romero stated.
 
The rebuttal by NATO came after the European Leadership Network (ELN), a London-based think tank, in a report entitled, “Preparing for the Worst: Are Russian and NATO Military Exercises Making War in Europe more Likely?”, warned about the risks from a dramatic growth in Russian and NATO military exercises since the conflict between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russia forces intensified in April 2014.
 
"NATO military exercises are not, as the reports suggest, making war in Europe more likely," Romero said after the ELN published its assessment of drills by NATO and Russia.
 
The London-based think tank said in the report that the scale of the war games by Russia and NATO has been in contradiction to claims from the two sides that they targeted hypothetical opponents.
 
"Russia is preparing for a conflict with NATO, and NATO is preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia,” the ELN report said.
 
The report said the military exercises by both sides fueled tensions, adding that the situation becomes more tense and unpredictable when the exercises are not announced beforehand.
 
The ELN report also called on NATO and Russia to improve communications about the military drills and examine the merits and demerits of an increase in the number of war games.
 
Since the start of the Russia-West tension over the crisis in east Ukraine last year, NATO has stepped up military exercises along the Russian border, including in the Baltic States.
 
Russia has always blasted NATO for its eastward expansion, calling it a direct threat to Moscow. Analysts say Russia's military exercises are a "logical response" to the presence of NATO troops along its borders. 
 
The West accuses Moscow of supporting pro-Russians in Ukraine's eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. Russia denies the allegation.