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Russia’s defense minister says Vienna Document, Treaty on Open Skies don't work

The agreements aimed at building trust in the military sphere between the European states are not fulfilling their purpose
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu Vadim Savitsky/TASS
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu
© Vadim Savitsky/TASS

MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. The Treaty on Open Skies and the Vienna Document intended to implement confidence and security building measures fail to fulfill their purposes, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said at the 4th Moscow international security conference on Thursday.

"The agreements aimed at building trust in the military sphere between the European states - the Vienna Document and the Treaty on Open Skies - are not fulfilling their purpose," Shoigu said.

The minister stressed that in general the current relations between Russia and the European countries are in a state of crisis. "The confidence in which we had invested efforts and initiatives for many years is undermined. They talk to us using the language of sanctions," Shoigu said.

"There is no success in creating a single space of peace, security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic. The proposal to conclude the Treaty on European Security is not backed. Instead, they continue forcing up the outdated schemes of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe," he said.

On Thursday, Moscow hosts the 4th international security conference organized by the Russian Defense Ministry. A key topic of the forum is Global Security: Challenges and Prospects.The representatives of more than 70 countries, including over ten defense ministers and delegates from six international organizations, are participating in the conference, the Defense Ministry said.