Stoltenberg wants to meet Lavrov

Daily Express
Stoltenberg wants to meet Lavrov

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg wants to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in order to discuss cooperation between Moscow and the alliance. NATO made this decision after a recent meeting between Russia's Ambassador to NATO Alexander Grushko and the organization's Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow. According to NATO's statement on this matter, the alliance did not change its position that it had to take after the beginning of conflict in Ukraine, which is to suspend practical cooperation with Russia, however, the alliance decided to keep channels of military-political dialogue open. Vestnik Kavkaza presents an article from British publication Daily Express on the processes occurring between Russia and NATO. 

NATO and Russia have enjoyed frosty relations since 2014. After a meeting between Vershbow and Grushko, NATO was willing to continue dialogue with the maverick state, but added there would be “no change” in policy towards Russia.

Relations were at their lowest point since the Cold War after Russia’s antics in Ukraine and Crimea, which saw it annex territories. The military alliance has been on high alert recently after the country, led by president Valdimir Putin, escalated it’s military presence near its border with Poland. Prompting fears it was gearing up troops for an impromptu attack on Europe’s doorstep, NATO’s former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Sir Richard Shirreff, said failure to respond to the threat could have “fatal consequences”. The General warned: “It is clear that Russia is capable of surprising the West . . . with potentially devastating implications for eastern Poland and fatal consequences to the Alliance.”

Tensions between Moscow and the West have been strained, with militaristic displays becoming more frequent over the last 18 months. And despite Russia’s willingness to participate in airstrikes against Isis in Syria, it’s alliance with beleaguered President Bashar al-Assad has been heavily criticised. 

It comes as the European Council extended its sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian citizens and firms into March 2017. The restrictions consist of an asset freeze and a travel ban against 146 people and 37 firms. Among the Russians targets are Deputy Prime Ministers Dmitry Kozak and Dmitry Rogozin, who supported or helped carry out the annexation of Crimea, according to the EU. Those affected have been accused by the European Union of playing a role in Crimea’s rejoining with Russia and threatening easter Ukraine’s territorial integrity. The people and entities subject to EU sanctions are deemed to have acted "against Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence."

The EU measures that are in place in response to the crisis in Ukraine include economic sanctions targeting sectors of the Russian economy, which is in place until the end of January next year. Although the sanctions target many of the leaders of the rebel groups in easter Ukraine, but they do not include Russian President Vladimir Putin. The measures were introduced in March 2014 and were extended in March 2016. When the situation was assessed, the EU decided that there should be no change in the regime of sanctions or in the list of persons and entities under restrictive measures

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