Relations with Russia played a significant part at the NATO summit on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 July. With just a few days to go before the French and American presidents, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump, meet with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, the NATO members reaffirmed the Alliance’s dual approach to Russia: - deterrence and political dialogue.
In the declaration signed on Wednesday, the Allies state their firm opposition to the action by Russia which has “broken the trust at the core of our cooperation”, saying such actions “have reduced stability and security, and increased unpredictability”.
Given such a scenario, they reiterated the compromises reached in Wales and in Warsaw, to strengthen deterrence in particular “by a forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance”.
During a summit attended by the president of Ukraine, support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of that country was reaffirmed. The Allies condemned the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, saying this is something “which we do not and will not recognise”. Furthermore, they called on Russia to fully apply the Minsk agreements and to pull its forces out of the peninsula.
Despite these harsh words against Russia, the Allies said they were “open to a periodic, focused and meaningful dialogue with Russia”, in the aim of building a constructive and strategic partnership.
In coming days, all eyes will be turned to Presidents Macron and Trump, who are to meet the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in turn. The US president has said that their discussion will be on Ukraine and Syria, among other things, and that “it could lead to something very productive”.
Emmanuel Macron, who will seize the opportunity of his visit to Moscow for the World Cup Final to meet Vladimir Putin, said that “France undertakes to continue maintaining a permanent relationship” so as to take forward the process of de-escalation, disarmament and reciprocal commitments.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg concluded by saying that the Alliance is ready to “construct a relationship (Ed. with Russia) when Russian actions make that possible”. Original version in French by Carmen Garcia, trainee)