MINSK, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Belarus and Russia have reacted appropriately to the reinforcement of NATO forces near the two countries' borders, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday.
Lukashenko reminded that Belarus and Russia have jointly deployed armed forces in the west, which ensure the safety of the Union State, a politico-economic union made up of the two countries, the state news agency Belta reported.
"Belarusian army units are a core of this force. They will be the first to engage in the event of a conflict, and units stationed in the west of the Russian Federation will be moved here quickly," Lukashenko said.
Since 2014, NATO has been building up its military presence in eastern European countries bordering Russia, using Moscow's alleged interference in Ukraine as a pretext for the move.
Moscow has repeatedly warned NATO that the military buildup on Russia's borders is provocative and could harm regional and global stability.
