NATO defense ministers to begin talks on new Russia strategy

NATO defense ministers will meet next week to reconsider the alliance’s long-standing policy on Russia in response to the growing threat posed by the Kremlin, Politico reports. There is no draft of a new strategy yet.

This move comes in response to the deteriorating relations between NATO and Russia, particularly following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

According to Politico, a senior US government official stated on 11 October 2024, that it’s time to “craft a new strategy” regarding the allies’ specific positions on Russia. The official emphasized that the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act and the NATO-Russia Council “were built for a different era,” suggesting that a new approach is necessary to address the current state of relations.

The process of developing this new strategy is expected to involve several rounds of minister-level discussions. The goal is to have a finalized strategy ready for approval at the next NATO summit, scheduled for June 2025 in The Hague.

While there is a general consensus on the need for a new strategy, some differences in approach exist among NATO members. A NATO diplomat revealed that some countries are concerned that an overly aggressive new strategy could potentially destabilize Russia. Additionally, Hungary and Slovakia stand out as NATO members who continue to maintain contact with the Kremlin, seeing strategic value in engaging with Russia.

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