“We Should not Expect too Much from the NATO-Russia Council”

Ahead of the NATO- Russia Council, Latvian State Radio interviewed Bruno Lete, senior program officer, The German Marshall Fund of the United States

On Wednesday, April 20, the NATO- Russia Council will take place at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels. This meeting had been suspended since Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Despite the current situation in Ukraine decreasing the chances of any practical cooperation between NATO and Russia, the door has always remained open for dialogue.

In this meeting both sides will discuss the situation in Ukraine and the transparency of military maneuvers. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has promised that he will also address the recent incident in the Baltic Sea, which saw a Russian jet fly close to a U.S. military aircraft. Among other issues, Afghanistan and the threat of terrorism are also on the agenda.

Latvia will be represented at the meeting by NATO Ambassador Indulis Berzins.

 "We should not have high expectations from the NATO-Russia Council because Russia now perceives the Alliance as an enemy," said Bruno Lete, an expert on NATO affairs at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) during an interview with Latvian State Radio.

In his opinion, one of the reasons why it is important for NATO to hold meetings with Russia, is due to the Alliance’s desire to understand Moscow's intentions before the big upcoming NATO meeting in Poland, where relations with Russia, and the enlargement of NATO forces in the Baltic States will be one of the key issues on the agenda. 

Photo Credit: The German Marshall Fund of the United States