NATO has to choose between confrontation and dialogue in relations with Russia, as the alliance will be unable to “have its cake and eat it too,” Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian Delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, said at the last meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-Operation (FSC) under the United States’ FSC Chairpersonship.
Gavrilov’s statement was posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website on Wednesday, TASS reports.
“It is obvious to us that it is impossible to build trust in the military field when the North Atlantic Alliance goes ahead with its activity and builds up presence along Russia’s borders. In these conditions, collective persuasions to support the ‘package’ of proposals put forward by 34 OSCE member states to modernize the VD [Vienna Document 2011 – TASS] are futile and will have no effect,” Gavrilov said.
“Our counterparts need to first make up their minds: either containment or dialogue with our country. They will not be able to have their cake and eat it.”.