MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. The extension of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s term of office for another year will not affect relations between Russia and the alliance because they are non-existent, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"With respect to whether that (the extension of Stoltenberg’s term - TASS) will or will not influence relations with Russia, it won’t. That’s because Russia and NATO don’t have any relations," she said at a news conference.

"The question of why it was decided to let him stay needs to be directed to the people that made the decision to leave him in office. There was no shortage of intrigue there. It’s a question for them," Zakharova went on to say.

Stoltenberg said earlier that his term had been extended to October 1, 2024. NATO said in a statement that the decision will be formally affirmed at the bloc’s summit in Vilnius on July 11 and 12.