VILNIUS, July 11. /TASS/. NATO is not seeking a conflict with Russia and hopes that communication channels will remain functioning in order to avoid escalation, the alliance’s members said in the final communique of the Vilnius summit on Tuesday.
"We seek stability and predictability in the Euro-Atlantic area and between NATO and Russia. NATO does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia. In light of its hostile policies and actions, we cannot consider Russia to be our partner," the document says. "We remain willing to keep open channels of communication with Moscow to manage and mitigate risks, prevent escalation, and increase transparency."
NATO members also declared that any change in the Russia-NATO relationship "depends on Russia halting its aggressive behavior and fully complying with international law."
"We will continue to consult on and assess the implications of Russia’s policies and actions for our security, and respond to Russian threats and hostile actions in a united and responsible way," the document says.