Bosnia Defence Minister Sifet Podzic said on Wednesday he received firm assurances from NATO that the alliance would ensure the continuation of the peace-keeping mission in BiH in the event that Russia tried to block the extension of the EU troops' mandate.

The EU took over peace keeping in BiH from NATO in 2004 when the Althea operation was launched, which is being enforced by a contingent of European troops called EUFOR.

EUFOR consists of a little over 1,000 troops at the moment, 500 more than before the crisis caused by the Russian aggression on Ukraine. If the crisis in BiH escalates, NATO will help them in their activity under the Berlin Plus agreement.

EUFOR acts on a mandate extended annually by the UN Security Council. The deterioration of Russia-West relations has given rise to speculation that this autumn Russia could exercise its veto right in the Security Council to block the extension.

The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, said in Sarajevo yesterday intensive consultations were under way on how to resolve that problem if it arose.

Speaking to N1, Minister Podzic said he was given firm assurances at a recent NATO summit in Madrid that NATO would respond if Russia imposed a veto. “If there is a veto, Allied forces will take over the mission.”

Asked what Bosnia and Herzegovina could do if faced with a direct Russian threat to its security in case it came closer to NATO membership, Podzic said the country would defend itself with what it had, but that he was sure it could count on help from the West.

“We certainly won't be alone,” he said, adding that the biggest threat at the moment was the hybrid war Russia was waging all over the Western Balkans.

A much bigger threat than Russia at the moment are Bosnia's internal problems, he said.

Podzic also stressed that joining the NATO remains a priority that the country will continue to work on, although the blockades are putting the whole process into the question.

Asked if NATO would react and deploy soldiers in case if Bosnia's territorial integrity is violated, Podzic said he was convinced they would.

“That's one of my concerns that I presented at the Madrid summit and I was given assurances,” he said, adding that Bauer's visit to Sarajevo confirmes the strong commitment to the implementation of the conslusions adopted in Madrid.