Russia is temporarily closing its diplomatic mission to NATO. According to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, this is Russia's reaction to the recent expulsion of eight Russian diplomats from the Russian mission to NATO.
The Reuters news agency, citing the Russian Foreign Minister, reported that, in addition, Russia canceled the accreditation of NATO personnel in the organization's Moscow office.
Thus, formal diplomatic contacts between NATO and Russia have been officially suspended.
Relationships in decline
10 days ago, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told VG that NATO-Russia relations are now at their lowest level since the Cold War.
NATO suspended military cooperation with Russia in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea. At the same time, the two sides maintained diplomatic contacts through the Russian representation in NATO and a similar NATO office in Moscow.
But two weeks ago, NATO decided to expel eight Russian diplomats from its Brussels office, reducing the number of Russian representatives there from 20 to 10.
"They participated in activities incompatible with their status, and therefore their accreditation was revoked," Stoltenberg told VG newspaper at a press conference the day after the decision was made.
"They were intelligence officers," he added.
More than two years have passed since the last meeting of the Russia-NATO Council. In September, Stoltenberg met with Foreign Minister Lavrov in New York during the UN summit.
"It was not possible to agree on a new meeting. But NATO and I are ready for it as soon as they want to meet with us," Stoltenberg said.
Trip to Tromso
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that next Tuesday he will come to a ministerial meeting within the framework of the Barents Council cooperation body/Euro-Arctic region. There he will meet with the new Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt, who is hosting the event.
Alf Bjarne Johnsen
