The rare NATO-Russia talks on military exercises and the 1987 missile treaty

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The envoys of NATO and Russia on Wednesday discussed their large-scale military exercises and the Cold War missile treaty, which Washington promises to abandon after accusations. of non-compliance on the part of Russia, announced the Western alliance.

The talks, the first among the opponents of the old cold war since May, took place against a backdrop of renewed tensions between the West and Russia, particularly with regard to Moscow's annexation of Crimea. 2014 and its involvement in Eastern Ukraine.

According to a NATO statement, the parties engaged in an "open exchange of views" on Ukraine, Russian Vostok exercises and Trident exercises, as well as on Afghanistan and hybrid threats to Afghanistan. security.

NATO has launched this month its biggest exercises since the cold war in Norway, whose northern non-NATO neighbors Sweden and Finland have been closer to the alliance since they were frightened by the role played by Russia in the turmoil in Ukraine.

NATO troops maneuver near the borders of Russia, which held its massive annual Vostok military exercise in September. Both are regularly annoyed by the exercises of each, where demonstration of strength and deterrence play a major role.

The size of drills has steadily increased in recent years, in parallel with the conflict atmosphere that has developed between Russia and the West. The 2018 Vostok edition of Russia mobilized 300,000 troops and included joint exercises with the Chinese army – the largest exercise of its kind since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg also called on Russia to make swift changes to fully comply with the 1987 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Russia denies violating it.

"We are all in agreement that the INF Treaty has been crucial for Euro-Atlantic security … The Allies have repeatedly expressed serious concern about the new Russian missile system, known as the 9M729 or SSC-8, "said Stoltenberg in his statement.

He added that the development of the SSC-8 intermediate-range and ground-based cruise missile poses "a serious risk to strategic stability".

"NATO has repeatedly urged Russia to address these concerns in a transparent and substantive manner and to engage actively in a constructive dialogue with the United States … We regret that Russia has no He did not answer our calls, "added Stoltenberg.

At the same time, NATO hopes that Washington – including other rivals, China or Iran, is not constrained by the treaty that rids Europe of nuclear missiles based on earth – will not retire at the end.

European leaders fear that a collapse of the INF Treaty will lead to a new destabilizing arms race.