Stoltenberg: Big powers cannot decide about smaller ones – EURACTIV.com

The big powers, including Moscow, cannot decide about the smaller ones, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told EURACTIV’s partner efe in an interview in the midst of a crisis triggered by Russian forces amassing near Ukraine and Moscow’s demands that no Eastern European countries join the Alliance.

“The big powers cannot decide about the smaller ones. That is the message and, of course, Russia knows that”, Stoltenberg said, adding that Moscow “cannot decide what neighbours can and cannot do”.

He said the decision on whether Ukraine joins NATO one day is for Kyiv and the 30 allies alone to make.