"The resumption of the NATO-Russia Council work after an almost two-year break is essential. Even when the activities of the сouncil are not particularly aimed at specific results, for the reasons of political security it is important that we keep the channels of communication open and work on transparency and restoration of confidence," Gabriel told the publication of the German-Russian forum, Russlandkontrovers.
The economy minister stressed that it was in the interest of all the European actors to avoid the escalation of confrontational sentiment.
The council was created in 2002 as a consultative mechanism. NATO suspended all practical civilian and military cooperation with Russia after the Ukraine crisis broke out in April 2014, although channels for political dialogue and military to military communication remained open.
The first Russia-NATO Council meeting at the level of permanent envoys in two years was held on April 20, but failed to yield any significant results due to the sides’ disagreement on a number of geopolitical issues.
