NATO offered Russia to mutually restore missions: Moscow

Moscow [Russia], January 12 (ANI): NATO has offered Russia to mutually restore the work of its missions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, adding that Moscow has not yet responded to the offer. “NATO was ready to reopen a representative office in Moscow since dialogue with Russia was needed. The alliance does not have any preconditions for the restoration of the work of the Russian mission to NATO,” Sputnik News Agency quoting NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reported.

“This was the alliance’s proposal. It has been taken into account. The Russian side has not yet given an answer,” the ministry said, as per the news agency. Meanwhile, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman on Wednesday said that NATO Secretary-General expressed hope that the NATO–Russia Council could convene again soon to have “deeper discussions” on areas of interest where making progress is possible.

Sherman’s comment came after the NATO–Russia Council meeting on the security guarantees in Europe proposed by Moscow for the alliance not to expand further eastward, among other issues. “Secretary-General (Jens) Stoltenberg open today’s meeting by expressing his hope that the NATO Russia Council could convene again soon to have deeper discussions on the areas where we can make progress together to strengthen security for all,” she said, according to Sputnik. Sherman added that the United States and NATO remain ready to continue to engage with Russia after the talks in Brussels on Wednesday. (ANI)