Ruttes says NATO not involved in EU efforts to engage Russia

NATO is aware of European Union efforts to establish diplomatic contact with Russia but is not participating in them, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated.

Rutte said this discussion is taking place in the EU, and he fully respects and understands why it is happening, noteing that this was purely a European discussion and NATO is not involved at all, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

On June 17, leading Western media reported on several phone calls made by representatives from the office of European Council President António Costa to Moscow, while claiming that nothing serious was discussed.

Rutte noted that Ukraieunian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had arrived in Brussels to attend a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.

According to him, the meeting will conclude with the Contact Group on Ukraine, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take part in it.

He added that he and Zelenskyy discussed, among other issues, how to ensure continued weapons supplies to Ukraine so it can continue the war.

Diplomatic sources said EU leaders have also invited Zelenskyy to address a scheduled EU summit later in the day.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov