Russian Envoy to NATO Says Boosting Security Against Moscow 'Counter-Productive'

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — NATO will eventually realize that making plans about strengthening security without including Russia's participation are counterproductive and futile, Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO Alexander Grushko said on Monday.

"I am convinced that sooner or later NATO will understand that the plans to strengthen security without and especially against Russia are nonviable and counter-productive," Grushko said in his interview with the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper when asked if Moscow should end contacts with NATO due to the Alliance’s "clear desire to provoke and humiliate Russia."

Grushko noted that attempts to talk to Russia from a position of power, relying on the experience of the Cold War, would not turn out well.

"To effectively tackle common challenges and threats, today we need to unite our efforts on the equal basis, to overcome difficulties instead of shutting the doors," Grushko said.

The envoy brought up previous cooperation between Russia and NATO, listing examples such as training of Afghan, Pakistani and Central Asian technical staff and anti-drug forces, the initiative on cooperation in airspace, and cooperation in the fight against piracy.

"These are just some of the examples of how cooperation in Russa-NATO Council used to actually improve security of Russian and NATO-member states’ citizens," Grushko said, adding that many in the bloc understand that "their own interests are suffering from the hasty and absolutely politicized decision" to halt contacts with Russia.

NATO-Russia relations have gone downhill after Crimea’s reunification with Russia and the Ukrainian crisis. In 2014, NATO decided to suspend projects of practical civilian and military cooperation with Moscow, but maintained channels of political dialogue.