Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that Russia and NATO relations are unlikely to normalize in the foreseeable future.
“Moscow is ready to find a common language only on an equal basis and mutual respect, but this has always been a problem for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its member countries,” said Ryabkov in an interview with the Russian daily Izvestia.
When asked if a conflict between Russia and NATO is possible in the absence of prospects for normalization, Ryabkov said that it depends on the alliance.
“Russia is ready to defend its national interests with all the means at its disposal,” Ryabkov said.
The diplomat believes that there are no prospects for peace negotiations with Ukraine because the West, which supports Kiev, repeats as a mantra that the peace formula of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is the only basis for an agreement, and dialogue is impossible on such a basis.
As for arms control, Ryabkov said there is no draft agreement between Russia and the US to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which expires in February 2026.
However, Ryabkov says the US is wrong to expect to win the next arms race if START-3 is not renewed.
“We will not fall for the provocations that are very characteristic of American policy in the Russian direction, but we will definitely ensure our security,” he said.
He repeated his previous assessment of the possibility of breaking Russian-American diplomatic relations.
“But we emphasize again and again at different levels that the Russian side will never take such a step. If it happens, it will happen as a result of Washington’s decisions and actions,” he added.
