Russia-NATO Relations in Line With Founding Act – German Defense Ministry

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On November 24, the Russian jet crashed over Syrian territory after being hit by an air-to-air missile fired from a Turkish F-16 fighter. NATO member Turkey claimed that it downed the Su-24 because it had violated Turkish airspace. Both the Russian General Staff and the Syrian Air Defense Command confirmed that the Russian bomber never crossed into Turkish airspace.

"The Federal Defense Ministry is closely monitoring the situation and believes with all allies that the direct participants in a given situation should react in the spirit of de-escalation, tranquilly and with a deliberate rhetoric. The Russia-NATO Founding Act continues to be in force," the spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

He added that the ministry emphasizes the importance of direct contacts between Ankara and Moscow to both deescalate the situation and reduce risk of accidents in the air and on the water.

The Russia-NATO Founding Act of 1997 explicitly pledges that the alliance will not permanently station substantial combat forces or nuclear weapons in Eastern and Central Europe. The goal of the document was to build a long-term peace in the Euro-Atlantic area based on principles of democracy and cooperative security.