The member states of NATO will hold a new series of formal talks with Russia next week. This was announced on Thursday by an official from the Atlantic Alliance. This announcement comes whilst relations remain fraught, owing to the conflict in Ukraine.
The official said, “A meeting of the NATO Council at ambassador level is due to take place on July 13th at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.” He did not wish to give more details upon the content of the discussions between ambassadors of the 28 member states, and their Russian counterpart.
The NATO Council and Russia met regularly before the crisis in Ukraine in 2014 was put on one side. This dialogue was initially instigated in 2002. Meetings resumed at the beginning of 2016, stemming from numerous months of debates within the Atlantic Alliance.
The Council has since met on four occasions, the last time in March with the main subject being the situation in Ukraine. In 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, supporting the Pro-Russian Separatists in the east of the country.
The ambassadors had also discussed measures aiming to avoid harmful forms of misunderstanding, following the increase of military activity on both sides. NATO suspended all practical cooperation - both military and civil - with Russia.
The Brussels Times
