MOSCOW, October 25 (RIA Novosti) - The major world powers and NATO are not interested in conflicts with other countries including Russia, the Director of NATO Information Office in Moscow, Robert Pszczel said.
"I very much hope that such scenarios will not enter into life. The largest country in the world is not interested in the conflict. NATO is absolutely not interested in any conflicts, nor with Russia, nor in general," Pszczel said on Russian radio station Kommersant FM on Friday night.
Pszczel also noted that NATO considers Russia a "desirable partner," however added "the problem is that Russia has ceased to behave as a partner."
The NATO representative's comments came in response to a statement made on Friday by Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming large countries located at the junction of geopolitical interests of major countries or continents such as Ukraine were more likely to be involved in conflicts.
Regarding NATO's "freezing" of cooperation with the Russian Federation, Pszczel called it a necessary measure, noting that the alliance did it "without pleasure, but there was simply no other choice."
Pszczel told Kommersant FM that relations between Russia and NATO will be unfrozen if the country "will begin to honor their commitments" in regards to Ukraine.
"The main thing is Russia's actions related to Ukraine. We expect that Russia will abide by international law and obligations, which took over as well as the Minsk agreements. Other participants in this process took on different responsibilities. Ukrainians have already done their part," he added.
Relations between Russia and NATO have been strained since the alliance accused Russia of meddling in the Ukrainian crisis, a claim that Russia has repeatedly denied. Following Crimea's reunification with Russia in March 2014, NATO boosted its military presence close to Russia's border, specifically in Poland and the former Soviet Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
In April, the 28-member state bloc froze its cooperation with Russia, only maintaining contacts at the ambassadorial and higher levels.
