Estonian FM: It's time to annul the NATO-Russia Founding Act

Urmas Reinsalu.
Urmas Reinsalu. Source: Siim Lõvi/ERR

Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) on Friday called for the annulment of the NATO-Russia Founding Act as cooperation with the country is "out of the question".

"NATO's Strategic Compass adopted in Madrid clearly states that NATO's greatest security threat is Russia, with which it signed a Founding Act for advancing the dialogue and European security in 1997. However, since February last year, Russia has been ignoring all principles of international law and is waging an inhumane war at the heart of Europe," Reinsalu said.

"It is time to annul the founding act on relations between NATO and Russia because cooperation with Putin's Russia that is waging a war of aggression in Ukraine is out of the question."

Reinsalu attended the foreign ministers of Central and Eastern European States (B9) meeting in Lodz, Poland on Friday.

Ministers discussed the implementation of the defense and deterrence decisions adopted at NATO's Madrid summit last summer, including certifying regional defense plans, and the upcoming Vilnius summit. 

Reinsalu said it was also important to agree on a cooperation plan between NATO and the European Union that would reflect the NATO-EU Joint Declaration adopted in January. 

The foreign ministers also welcomed Finland into NATO and discussed assistance to Ukraine, including giving Ukraine a clear roadmap for joining NATO.

The NATO-Russsia Founding Act defines the goals and mechanism of consultation, cooperation, joint decision-making and joint action that constitute the core of the mutual relations between the country and the alliance.

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Editor: Helen Wright

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