Deputy FM: NATO flags Russia as direct threat, operational ties severed

Russia and NATO maintain no operational cooperation, with the alliance officially designating Russia as a “direct and long-term threat,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told reporters.

“There is no interaction, it is excluded by definition,” Grushko emphasised, noting that NATO views Russia as a security threat to its members and perceives danger even after the Ukraine conflict, which could be resolved militarily or diplomatically, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

He noted that despite the tension, communication channels between Russia and NATO remain open. Russia’s ambassador to Belgium is authorised to maintain contact with NATO headquarters if necessary, and military hotlines between Moscow and the alliance continue to operate. 

Grushko also stressed that Russia observes NATO’s renewed efforts to assert itself in Euro-Atlantic affairs, including a broad rearmament among member states.

“If we look at things on the ground, we see that NATO is trying to reassert itself at the centre of Euro-Atlantic and European processes. There is a rearmament process across all member states, including France, where military spending has increased significantly for the second consecutive year,” he said.

By Jeyhun Aghazada