Russian envoy: NATO shown no interest in security cooperation with CSTO

NATO has never shown a willingness to cooperate with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on collective security issues and continues to reject such engagement, Russia's permanent representative to the CSTO, Viktor Vasilyev, said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"I [...] met with the current OSCE Chairmanship in Switzerland. I also took part in the OSCE Forum on Security Cooperation. [...] I can only state that there has never been—and there is still no—reciprocal desire on NATO’s part. I see no point in 'banging on closed doors,'" Vasilyev said.

He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko have proposed creating a new security architecture for the Eurasian region, and said work on the initiative has already begun, including within the CSTO framework.

Earlier, Vasilyev said the CSTO's collective security strategy and Russia's military doctrine allow for the use of nuclear weapons to defend allies if they come under attack. He made the remarks in response to a question about the possible deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in other CSTO member states.

By Sabina Mammadli