MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The upcoming NATO summit will take place in the Polish capital on July 8-9.
"The UK and NATO should be very clear in engaging Russia during the Warsaw Summit, and strive for transparency to explain the decisions that it takes. We recommend that the Government reports on how it has increased military dialogue with Russia, both before and during the Warsaw Summit, to reduce the potential for an unintended escalation of hostilities," the defense committee said in its Russia: Implications for UK defence and security report.
The committee stressed that a continued NATO buildup in the Baltic states leads to a symmetric response on the Russian side of the border, thus increasing the risk of misunderstandings and miscalculation.
"Dialogue between NATO and Russia is essential to reduce the risk of military escalation and misunderstandings between them both. It is not incompatible with a more adversarial relationship, such as has recently developed. We therefore welcome the reconvening of the NATO-Russia Council, while limited in outcomes, as an important step to re-establishing dialogue between Russia and the West," the report added.
On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the next NATO-Russia Council at permanent representatives level is scheduled for July 13 after the NATO summit concludes.
Since 2014, NATO has been building up its military presence in Europe, using Moscow's alleged interference in Ukraine as a pretext for the move. Moscow has repeatedly denied the claims and warned NATO that the military buildup on Russia’s borders is provocative and threatens the existing strategic balance of power.
