NATO allies and Russia had an “open and useful” exchange on three topics: Ukraine, Afghanistan, and transparency and risk reduction, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday following the NATO-Russia Council meeting.
Stoltenberg, who chaired the meeting in Brussels, noted that it is the third meeting the two sides held this year.
“Our dialogue is not easy, but that is exactly why our dialogue is so important,” he said, admitting that, “NATO Allies and Russia continue to have fundamental differences on the issue of Ukraine, how to solve the crisis in Ukraine.”
“We welcome the ongoing diplomatic efforts to promote the implementation of the Minsk agreements by all sides,” NATO chief added.
Speaking about the security situation in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg said, “Our analyses differ considerably. But we all share the same interest in ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan.”
He told reporters that the transparency and risk reduction remains a vital issue for the NATO-Russia Council. “we agreed that the principle of reciprocal exercise briefings, including advance briefings, is useful,” Stoltenberg said.
Established in 2002, the NATO-Russia Council is conceived as a mechanism for consultation, consensus-building, cooperation, joint decision and action between NATO and Moscow.
In 2014 NATO suspended all practical cooperation with Russia in light of the Ukarine crisis but decided to keep the channels for political dialogue open in the NATO-Russia Council.
