Accessibility links

Breaking News

Putin Calls NATO A ‘Cold War Throwback’


Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin visit a Russian military base in Dushanbe on October 5.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin visit a Russian military base in Dushanbe on October 5.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called NATO a throwback to the Cold War era, but said the Western military alliance can sometimes play a positive role.

"I believe [NATO] is to a large degree a throwback of the Cold War," Putin said while addressing soldiers and officers at a Russian-leased base in Tajikistan on October 5.

Nonetheless, he added that: "To some degree, under certain circumstances, if it acts on a mandate of UN Security Council, NATO can play a positive role,"

The Russian president said the Kremlin regarded with "worry" any attempt to expand NATO, referring also to the alliance's European missile shield.

The anti-missile system, which is to be based partly in Eastern Europe, is already operational to some extent.

Based on reporting by Reuters and dpa

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG