Russian Foreign Ministry responds to Stoltenberg's statement on nuclear weapons in Europe

This topic was commented on by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, a correspondent for The Moscow Post reports.

The diplomat believes that the words of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg undermine the provisions of the Russia-NATO act.

"If he really said so, then for NATO, the collective voice of which the Secretary General speaks, the Russia-NATO Fundamental Act no longer exists," Alexander Grushko told RIA Novosti and recalled that the said act establishes important NATO obligations: for example, it is recorded that NATO will not deploy nuclear weapons on the territory of new members.

The diplomat also said that now there are no contacts with the NATO secretariat.

He added that the North Atlantic Alliance made the work of Russian diplomats in Brussels impossible.

But not only the Foreign Ministry criticized the statement of the NATO Secretary General. Dissatisfaction was expressed in the Russian delegation at the negotiations in Vienna. The head of the delegation, Konstantin Gavrilov, believes that these statements are proof that "in NATO Brussels they have finally lost all connection with reality."

"Instead of responding to Russia's call for de-escalation of tension in Europe, the main official of the North Atlantic Alliance declares that in nuclear terms NATO will move even closer to the borders of our country," he was indignant.

The indignation was caused by the statement of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, which was heard during a speech at the conference. He admitted that nuclear weapons could be deployed east of Germany if the authorities of this country refused to deploy them in Germany.

"Germany can decide whether there should be weapons on its territory, but the alternative to this is nuclear weapons in other European countries..." - he said.