NATO’s relations with Russia
In 2002 NATO member states and Russia established the NATO-Russia Council as a framework for consultation on current security issues and practical cooperation in a wide range of areas of common interest. The Council has proved useful for advancing a number of joint projects, as well as for holding regular political dialogue.
Following Russia’s disproportionate military action in Georgia in early August 2008, the Alliance is considering seriously the implications of Russia’s actions for the NATO-Russia relationship.
Since its establishment at a Summit meeting in Rome in May 2002, the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) has been the main forum for advancing NATO-Russia relations, in which the 26 Allies and Russia work together as equal partners to identify and pursue opportunities for joint action. Since its inception, the NRC has developed into a mature and effective forum for political dialogue and concrete, practical cooperation in key areas of mutual interest for the Alliance and Russia.
While political differences remain on some high-level issues, the driving force behind the NRC’s pragmatic spirit of cooperation is the realization that NATO and Russia share strategic priorities and face common challenges. Allied and Russian heads of state and government gave a positive assessment of the NRC’s practical achievements when they met for the second summit-level meeting of the NRC at Bucharest in April 2008.
On 19 August, a special ministerial session of the North Atlantic Council was convened following Russia’s disproportionate military action in Georgia in August 2008, which is inconsistent with its peacekeeping role, as well as incompatible with the principles of peaceful conflict resolution set out in the Helsinki Final Act and the NATO-Russia Founding Act and the Rome Declaration. Allied Foreign Ministers determined that NATO cannot continue with business as usual in its relations with Russia and called on Moscow to demonstrate – both in word and deed – its continued commitment to the principles upon which NATO and Russia agreed to base their relationship.
NATO Allies expressed their grave concern over the situation in Georgia and discussed its wider implications for Euro-Atlantic stability and security. A peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict in Georgia must be based on full respect for the principles of Georgia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity recognized by international law and UN Security Council resolutions. NATO deplores all loss of life, civilian casualties, and damage to civilian infrastructure that has resulted from the conflict and Allied governments are assisting humanitarian relief efforts.
NATO welcomes the agreement reached and signed by Georgia and Russia, through the diplomatic efforts of the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United States, to end the hostilities and to bring about a political solution to the conflict. The Alliance stresses the urgency of swift, complete, and good faith implementation of the agreement, including a new international mechanism to monitor respect for these engagements. Military action must cease definitively and military forces must return to their positions held prior to the outbreak of hostilities. Fully international discussions must begin on the modalities for security and stability in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
How does NATO-Russia cooperation work in practice?
Cooperation between Russia and NATO member states is directed by the NRC and developed through various subordinate working groups and committees. Every year, NRC member countries agree on an annual work programme. Key areas of cooperation include the fight against terrorism, defence reform, military-to-military cooperation, counter-narcotics training of Afghan and Central Asian personnel, theatre missile defence, crisis management and non-proliferation.
Russia also cooperates with NATO in airspace management, civil emergency planning, scientific cooperation and environmental security. In addition, the Allies and Russia regularly exchange views on current security issues in the Euro-Atlantic area, creating thereby a standing mechanism for consultation on larger political issues.
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To facilitate cooperation, Russia has established a diplomatic mission to NATO and Russian Military Branch Offices have been set up at NATO’s two top military command headquarters. In Moscow, a NATO Information Office seeks to explain NATO and promote the benefits of the NATO-Russia partnership, and a Military Liaison Mission is helping improve transparency and coordination on the military side.
How did NATO-Russia relations evolve?
NATO-Russia relations formally began in 1991, when Russia joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (renamed the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in 1997), a forum created after the end of the Cold War to foster transparency and dialogue with the countries.
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Which bodies have a central role?
The NATO-Russia Council is the principal structure and venue for advancing the relationship between NATO and Russia. It has created several working groups and committees to develop cooperation in key areas.
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