The NATO Secretary General said that NATO is configured to dialogue with Moscow

Jens Stoltenberg AFP photo

The Alliance does not want an arms race with Russia. This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference in Norway, opening Day guests of honor as part of exercise Trident Juncture 2018 (the”Single Trident – 2018″).

“We don’t want an arms race, so we need to improve relations with Russia,” he said.

He also said that NATO exercises Trident Juncture 2018 do not return NATO in the cold war situation, and the Alliance believes that the level of confrontation today below.

“We do not believe that our doctrine is a return to the cold war. Today, the situation in Europe is quite different with a lower level of confrontation, but a high level of unpredictability”, – he stressed.

“During the cold war in Europe had hundreds of nuclear weapons enormous power in idle status. Now the situation in the security sphere is quite different. The level of confrontation is much lower, however, there is a high level of unpredictability, hybrid methods are used, there is interference in the Affairs of sovereign States”, – he said.

According to him, the Alliance considers NATO exercises Trident Juncture 2018 “as a means of preventing conflict rather than a means of perpetuating the conflict”.

He noted that such maneuvers should demonstrate the determination and willingness of the Alliance to protect with military force its member countries, “to deter potential aggressors from errors in judgment and attempts of military aggression against NATO”.