Wednesday will see an ambassadorial meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels, where the sides plan to focus on the alliance’s new strategy and the development of missile defense system. In an interview earlier this month, Russia’s NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin likened the alliance to “a butting cow “ in a clear nod to NATO’s persistent reluctance to arrive at a political accommodation on an array of mutually advantageous issues with Russia. Suffice it to mention Moscow’s proposal to jointly stave off sea piracy – an overture that was actually downplayed by Brussels. NATO was also low-key on Russia’s suggestion to jointly tackle the Afghan drug trafficking, which the UN said remains one of the most pressing global challenges. Meanwhile, drug production in Afghanistan has doubled in the past couple of years despite the ongoing international anti-terror operation there 

12 June 2010 ã.   Medvedev to discuss missile defense during U.S. visit

President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev will discuss the controversial issue of missile defense with the U.S. leadership during his upcoming visit to the United States, the Russian foreign minister said. Relations between Russia and the United States have warmed since Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama announced last year a new policy of resetting bilateral ties and overcoming Cold-war era set-backs. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev plans to visit the United States in June to boost Russian-U.S. cooperation in various spheres, including trade and the high-tech industry. "This [the U.S. missile defense plans in Europe] will be one of the topics for discussion; we have high expectations of this summit," Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Russia's Kommersant daily 

10 June 2010 ã.   Getting Russia Right (The New York Times, 09.06.2010)

We need concrete projects to replace suspicion with an atmosphere of cooperation. One proposal, recently submitted by NATO’s secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, regards the joint development of a missile defense system. Other ideas are being explored in the E.U.-Russia relationship as well as in the bilateral German-Russian context. An additional field of cooperation could be conventional and nuclear arms control and disarmament. The expert group suggests maintaining nuclear deterrence at a minimal level, but without offering any specific proposal for a sub-strategic nuclear arms control process that might complement the strategic arms control dynamic recently initiated by Washington and Moscow 

8 June 2010 ã.   Press Statements following Russian-German Talks

We discussed the whole range of international issues, including the question of closer cooperation on security between Germany and Russia. Mr Medvedev proposed developing new forms of security cooperation between the European Union and Russia. We think that we already have a good opportunity to build on the cooperation work that was going on at the ambassadorial level previously. We can develop this format by taking it to the ministerial level. We certainly have plenty to discuss, and we know how to listen to each other and how to find all kinds of solutions to even the most complex bilateral, regional or international problems.

Inside the EU we need to work together with Russia on laying the foundations for conflict resolution mechanisms covering both civil and military aspects. It has become apparent that the formats we have been using so far are insufficient. We need to maintain regular continued discussion on hotbeds of conflict 

8 June 2010 ã.   Russia-EU co-operation acquires more mature features - FM spokesman

Of course, each country has the right to define its own national strategy, based on national interests. But it is important that the realization of national goals proceed in line with the requirements of a stable and sustained global development. From this perspective, we welcome the fact that the document declares a commitment to the principles of multilateral co-operation, multi-pronged diplomacy, “a democratic and equitable international order,” sustainable economic development and combating threats to international security. We note the constructive mindset to build “a stable, substantive, multidimensional relationship” with our country, based on mutual interests with emphasis on such priorities as non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament, confronting violent extremism and economic co-operation by seeking new trade and investment arrangements 

7 June 2010 ã.   President Medvedev, Chancellor Merkel focus on European security

Both sides pointed to an array of drastic changes that has taken place in the world since 1975, when the Helsinki Final Act on European Security was signed. The collapse of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia in the early 1990s prompted a spate of military conflicts across Europe, with simmering tensions currently in place in Trans-Dniester, Nagorno Karabakh and Kosovo. Medvedev and Merkel specifically cited 2008, when in violation of all international norms, Georgia unleashed an act of aggression against South Ossetia. Over the past few years, they said, a host of new organizations has been created in Europe, including the Collective Security Treaty Organization, whose potential has yet to developed.Separately, Medvedev and Merkel suggested considering the creation of a Russia-EU committee on foreign policy and security at ministerial level 

4 June 2010 ã.   Russia prefers big NATO countries, - Dzirkaln

 Russia and NATO may intensify their co-operation in the military and technical sphere, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, deputy head of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Co-operation has said. The two sides may even develop a new transport plane and heavy helicopter based on Russian samples and according to NATO’s standards, he told RIA Novosti news agency. Consultations are underway aimed at developing a package of documents regulating military and technical co-operation. According to Dzirkaln, so far Russia has been negotiating with each NATO member state separately. Prospects of such co-operation are linked to stepping up efforts in fighting terrorism, he noted 

1 June 2010 ã.   2011 “to be decisive” in Russia-NATO relations

2011 will be decisive in Russia-NATO relations, Russia’s permanent representative to the alliance Dmitry Rogozin told a Latvian radio station. According to him, NATO’s new strategy, which is currently being worked out, has many provisions concerning cooperation with Moscow.    Rozogin is taking part in a NATO Parliamentary Assembly session in Riga. 28 countries are discussing the situation in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Russia-NATO strategic cooperation 

25 May 2010 ã.   Russia, NATO defense ministers unlikely to meet in June - source

A Russia-NATO Council meeting at the level of defense ministers will most likely not happen in June as hoped, a source in the Russian mission at the NATO said on Tuesday. The first meeting between Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and his NATO counterparts since the brief Russia-Georgia war in 2008 was tentatively scheduled for June 11-12 in Brussels. "The meeting is unlikely to take place due to conflicting schedules of the Russian minister and NATO," the source said 

12 May 2010 ã.   Russia to supply cargo choppers for NATO force in Afghanistan

Russian companies can easily meet the demand of the NATO-led force in Afghanistan for cargo helicopters. The claim is from Chief Executive of the Russian Helicopters Holding Andrei Shibitov. He told reporters his company has been supplying the force with Mil-17s for about three years and is looking forward to orders for 40 Mil-17s and Mil-8s in the coming three-year period

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