President Dmitry Medvedev warned on Monday that Russia could sever all ties with NATO amid a standoff over Russia”s response to Georgia”s offensive in breakaway South Ossetia.
NATO suspended cooperation with Russia last week, and said “business as usual” could not resume until the country withdraws all troops from Georgia.
If NATO is not willing to cooperate with Moscow, “we will take any decision, up to terminating relations entirely,” Medvedev told Russia”s envoy to the alliance, Dmitry Rogozin.
“Cooperation is above all in the interests of NATO, not Russia,” he said.
Moscow recalled Rogozin from Brussels “for consultations” after NATO froze contacts through the Russia-NATO Council on August 19, accusing Moscow of disproportionate use of force against Georgia. Russia”s Defense Ministry later said it was suspending all cooperation with the military alliance.
Russia”s large-scale ”peace enforcement operation” came after Georgia”s August 8 ground and air offensive in South Ossetia aimed at seizing control of the province. Russia has now withdrawn most of its troops from Georgia, but peacekeeping checkpoints are still in place “to deter further bloodshed.”
