NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg says alliance should seek better relations with Russia, signals willingness to meet with Putin

NATO should pursue dialogue and stronger relations with Moscow, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said, declaring that he is open to meeting with the Russian president.

Stoltenberg told German news agency dpa that a summit with Putin is feasible if the “context is right.” He said that dialogue with Moscow was important, even though the alliance has a “difficult” relationship with Russia.

Russia is our biggest neighbor, Russia is here to stay and we need to strive for a better relationship with Russia.

NATO and Russia have been at odds with each other on a number of key security issues and conflicts. The alliance’s eastward expansion, as well as troop and hardware buildups along Russia’s border, have further strained trust and cooperation between the two world players.

Valery Gerasimov, chair of the Russian General Staff, warned last week that the increased number and scale of NATO drills this year indicates that the military alliance is preparing for a major conflict.

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