Russian Diplomats' Expulsion From NATO Office Won't Hurt Ties - Expert
Faizan Hashmi Published October 07, 2021 | 10:50 PM
BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th October, 2021) The expulsion of Russian diplomats from NATO will not hamper the dialogue between the two, Sven Biscop, a professor of political sciences at the Ghent University in Belgium, told Sputnik on Thursday.
"I don't see yesterday's move as significantly worsening the relations between the two. NATO wants to show it is 'vigilant in the face of malign Russian activity'," he said.
Eight members of the Russian mission to the NATO headquarters were accused of working as intelligence officers. Leonid Slutsky, the chair of the foreign affairs committee in the Russian parliament, denied the spying accusations as groundless.
Biscop said that espionage has always existed between Russia and the military alliance and that their ties have been strained by reciprocal sanctions over Georgia, Ukraine and Crimea.
But he argued that the United States and Russia had been able to find common ground during the leaders' summit in Geneva.
"The most important area of discussion is between the US and Russia and has been defined at the Biden-Putin summit in Geneva: it is above all the control of armaments, the non-proliferation of nuclear arms, the renewal of treaties, and the agreement to avoid any mutual interference and sabotage of software and systems in public infrastructure, through cyberwarfare and 'hybrid' actions. The conversations of Geneva seem to have borne fruit in that respect," he said.
Biscop, who is an expert in European security and defense, added that NATO saw Belarus as a buffer state, while Ukraine's membership of the US-led bloc is a red line for Russia. He said the Crimea issue is completely deadlocked and would take decades to improve.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
IHC adjourns PTI founder, Qureshi's appeal till Thursday
CDWP recommends 3 projects to ECNEC for approval
Tarar assures APNS to resolve issues of newspaper industry
Pakistan urged to capitalize on economic stability, for Tobacco Tax Reforms
N. Macedonia polls set to upend ties with EU neighbours
Croatia's ruling party reaches coalition deal with right wing
Bayern coach Tuchel makes three changes for Madrid showdown
Olympic flame arrives on French soil for Paris Games
Punjab Finance Minister announces expansion of Social Protection Authority's man ..
Kenya inks deal to end doctors' strike
Brazil flooding death toll reaches 100
Lebanon security source says five killed in Israeli strikes on south
More Stories From World
-
Football: South African Premiership results
4 hours ago -
Football: South African Premiership table
4 hours ago -
Fiorentina reach Europa Conference League final
5 hours ago -
Fiorentina reach Europa Conference League final
5 hours ago -
Football: Europa Conference League results
6 hours ago -
Tennis: Rome Open results - 1st update
6 hours ago
-
Tennis: Rome Open results
6 hours ago -
Track cycling star Benjamin Thomas escapes to win Giro 5th stage
6 hours ago -
Osaka wins in Rome after three-year absence
6 hours ago -
N. Macedonia polls set to upend ties with EU neighbours
6 hours ago -
Croatia's ruling party reaches coalition deal with right wing
6 hours ago -
Kenya inks deal to end doctors' strike
6 hours ago