NATO seeks not to confrontation, but to dialogue with Russia, said Alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. However, the conversation is difficult, he acknowledged and accused Moscow of deteriorating relations.

Practical cooperation with Moscow, the North Atlantic alliance suspended itself, but it was forced, Stoltenberg explained in an interview with RIA Novosti.. "Russia illegally annexed part of another country, the Crimea, in 2014 and ... Russia continues to destabilize eastern Ukraine. It is important that this kind of behavior has consequences, "he said sternly, stressing that this is" one of the main reasons why NATO has strengthened its presence in the eastern part of the alliance ".

NATO recognizes that there are issues that can not be resolved without Russia, for example, the fight against terrorism. But educational goals for Stoltenberg are more important: Russia's behavior must have consequences, he argues. Therefore, the interaction of the Allies is conducted, mainly at the bilateral level. Still there is the Russia-NATO Council, which, after a period of freezing in 2014-2015. re-earned. With the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Stoltenberg also communicates periodically. But this does not help the main thing - to establish a trusting relationship.

It is not conducive to this, according to the Secretary General, and Russia's refusal from NATO observers in its military exercises. "Russia has not invited us ever since the end of the Cold War," Stoltenberg complained. He agrees that, according to the Vienna Treaty, it is not allowed to invite and not to attend sudden or small exercises. Therefore, the alliance now wants to rewrite the text of the international agreement. However, the Secretary General believes that Moscow should now become open in the military plan: invite international observers, allow flights over the territory of maneuvers, allow NATO representatives to talk with soldiers directly, hold briefings on the scenarios and the course of the exercises.

As for other issues, then the secretary general was more reserved. Turkey wants to buy Russian S-400 - its business. Ukraine wants to join NATO - this is the case of Kiev and other members of the alliance. Sanctions against the DPRK - it's the right thing. Placing the US missile defense in south-east Asia is also good. Violations of the ceasefire in the Donbass, of course, is bad, but here the big responsibility of Moscow. And then everything in the same spirit.