MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. NATO was unable to adapt to the new security reality and, instead of joining forces, enforces an agenda on Russia that should have been left in the mid-20th century, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told journalists Tuesday.
"We see the military situation getting degraded artificially. The Cold War was supposed to stay in the past. However, NATO was unable to adapt to the new reality in security, and returned to its roots - the need to protect its members from the ‘treat’ from the East — and currently effectively enforces its agenda, which should have stayed somewhere in the 1950s, to the Russian Federation," Grushko said.
This is regrettable, Grushko said, because, instead of dialogue and joining forces for common security, the sides have to "engage in the dissection of threats" being created artificially near the Russian borders. Simultaneously, such NATO activity does not allow the EU to become a real actor in military-political matters, obtain autonomy and outline its interests, which could not be based on abnormal relations with Russia.
"This NATO activity also obstructs EU ambitions to establish a military-political autonomy, become a real actor in military-political matters and, once again, formulate its independent national interests. We are certain that Europe’s interests cannot be having abnormal relations with Russia. We also want to build normal, healthy relations with Europe," the diplomat underscored.