Near-Term NATO-Russia Ties Normalization Not Expected - Estonian FM

According to the Estonian foreign minister, the normalization of relations between Russia and NATO in the near future is not foreseen.

TALLINN (Sputnik) – Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are unlikely to normalize ties in the near future, Estonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand said Friday after a late-night NATO ministerial meeting in Brussels.

"The normalization of relations with Russia in the near future is not foreseen, and the heads of state and government will confirm the current policy toward Russia in Warsaw [at the July 8-9 NATO summit]," Kaljurand said in a statement published on the Foreign Ministry’s website.

The effectively disrupted Russia-NATO military and political cooperation, she noted, does not rule out political dialogue.

"Therefore, we will not have the expectation that the next NATO-Russia exchange of views would provide meaningful results. However, it is also in the interest of NATO to talk to us on important issues, in particular Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and to increase the transparency of military activities," Kaljurand added.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, ahead of the closed-door ministerial session on Friday, said the military alliance agreed to hold a NATO-Russia Council before the Warsaw summit.