NATO, Russia hold first major talks since 2014

AFP, BRUSSELS: NATO and Russia held their highest level talks for nearly two years on Wednesday, in a bid to ease military tensions over the Baltic Sea and the simmering violence still gripping eastern Ukraine.
The meeting of the NATO-Russia Council will be the first since the alliance cut off all practical ties with Moscow to protest the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014.
Relations have worsened over Moscow’s air campaign in Syria and tensions have flared in the past week after two incidents involving the US military and Russian planes in the Baltic Sea.
NATO’s press office confirmed that ambassadors from the 28 countries that make up NATO had begun their meeting with Russian officials at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.
“We are not afraid of dialogue,” said NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday, adding that they would discuss Ukraine, improving military cooperation and the war in Afghanistan.
“Actually we think dialogue is more important when times are difficult and tensions are high,” he added.
Stoltenberg will hold a press conference at 1000 GMT.
High on the agenda will be an incident this month when Russian warplanes flew within metres of an American missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea in what the US called a “simulated attack”.
Two days later, a US air force plane was intercepted by a Russian fighter, prompting Stoltenberg to accuse Russia’s military of “unprofessional and unsafe behaviour”.
He said the incident “just underlines the importance of open military lines of communications, of predictability and risk reduction. These are among the issues we will discuss tomorrow with Russia at the NRC.”
Fears the two sides could become embroiled in violence have grown since Russia started a bombing campaign in Syria, particularly after alliance member Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet on its border in November.
Russia blames NATO for increasing the risk of conflict by building up its troops in Eastern European countries, many of which have been lobbying for more Western support.

NATO, Russia hold first major talks since 2014

AFP, BRUSSELS: NATO and Russia held their highest level talks for nearly two years on Wednesday, in a bid to ease military tensions over the Baltic Sea and the simmering violence still gripping eastern Ukraine. The meeting of the NATO-Russia Council will be the first since the alliance cut off all practical ties with Moscow to protest the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014. Relations have worsened over Moscows air campaign in Syria and tensions have flared in the past week after two incidents involving the US military and Russian planes in the Baltic Sea. NATOs press office confirmed that ambassadors from the 28 countries that make up NATO had begun their meeting with Russian officials at the alliances headquarters in Brussels. We are not afraid of dialogue, said NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday, adding that they would discuss Ukraine, improving military cooperation and the war in Afghanistan. Actually we think dialogue is more important when times are difficult and tensions are high, he added. Stoltenberg will hold a press conference at 1000 GMT. High on the agenda will be an incident this month when Russian warplanes flew within metres of an American missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea in what the US called a simulated attack. Two days later, a US air force plane was intercepted by a Russian fighter, prompting Stoltenberg to accuse Russias military of unprofessional and unsafe behaviour. He said the incident just underlines the importance of open military lines of communications, of predictability and risk reduction. These are among the issues we will discuss tomorrow with Russia at the NRC. Fears the two sides could become embroiled in violence have grown since Russia started a bombing campaign in Syria, particularly after alliance member Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet on its border in November. Russia blames NATO for increasing the risk of conflict by building up its troops in Eastern European countries, many of which have been lobbying for more Western support.