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German defense minister says NATO and US should team up with Russia

NATO is a union of common values, Ursula von der Leyen pointed out

© AP Photo/Matthias Schrader

MUNICH, February 17. /TASS/. NATO and the United States should adopt a common approach towards Russia, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said at the opening of the Munich Security Conference.

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"It is nice to hear the US counterparts express support for transatlantic cooperation. It should be clear to everybody that we have common interests, principles and values," the minister said.

According to her, the North Atlantic Treaty stipulates that the countries should trust one another. "NATO is a union of common values. There should be no controversy between allies particularly in connection to those who openly questions our borders, values and international law," von der Leyen added.

"This means, if we want to restore relations of trust with Russia - and we are interested in that, we should act together rather than neglect the interests of our allies. This also refers to the fight against the so-called IS [the Islamic State terror group outlawed in Russia]," the German defense minister said.

She also emphasized the need to create a united front against terrorism. "In this struggle, we should seek assistance from the Arab countries," she added.

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