Nato members wary of burning bridges with Russia

 Nato members wary of burning bridges with Russia

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has also been been travelling to Eastern and Central Europe, trying to rally support among Nato allies to send a strong message to Russia.

Speaking in Croatia, Wallace said they were “absolutely united” in addressing Russia’s build up of military forces on the border of Ukraine, which he said were a “very grave cause for concern”.

Croatia’s defence minister said “dialogue and diplomacy are the best weapons for de-escalating tensions”.

But while there may be shared concerns about Russia’s intentions, this round of diplomacy has revealed differences too.

Last week the country’s president said in the event of a Russian attack “Croatia should get away from it like a fire” and that Ukraine had no place in Nato.

His comments were slapped down by Croatia’s prime minister. But it illustrates some of the strains within Nato members who are wary of burning bridges with Russia.