NATO is seeking a ‘substantive’ dialogue with Russia early next year

NATO will seek substantive talks with Moscow early next year to tackle tensions amid reinforcements of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, Alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said today.

“We are ready for a meaningful dialogue with Russia and I intend to call a new meeting of the NATO-Russia Council as soon as possible in the new year,” Stoltenberg told a news conference in Brussels.

The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) was established in 2002 to facilitate consultations between the Western military alliance and Moscow, but relations between the two sides are strained and its last meeting was in July 2019, despite repeated calls by NATO to revive this structure.

Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops along its border with Ukraine and on Friday issued a list of demands, including a request from NATO not to accept the former Soviet republic as a member and to guarantee that no weapons or troops will be deployed there.

Russian President Vladimir Putin today voiced hope for constructive talks with Washington and Brussels on Russia’s demands for security guarantees as there are signs that the West is ready to work on the issue.

Stoltenberg made it clear, however, that it was up to NATO and Ukraine alone to decide on Kiev’s future membership in the Alliance.

“Any dialogue with Russia must, of course, respect the basic principles on which European security is built,” he said, adding that NATO would consult with Kiev on possible talks with Moscow.

“So we will never compromise on our right to defend all allies, and we will never compromise on the right of every country in Europe, including Ukraine, to choose its own path,” he said.

Source: AMPE