NATO Supports Arms Control, Ready for Dialogue with Russia

The statement comes two months after Stoltenberg stated that the alliance was ready to continue a dialogue on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia, Sputnik reported.

Speaking further, the senior official called on for a restraint around the latest Kersh incident.

On November 25, three Ukrainian Navy vessels, the Berdyansk, Nikopol, and Yany Kapu — entered Russian territorial waters that were temporarily closed and began moving toward the Kerch Strait, which serves as an entrance to the sea. The Ukrainian vessels and their 24 crew members were detained by Russia after failing to respond to a lawful demand that they stop.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the incident a pre-planned provocation, saying that it seemed to be connected to Ukrainian President Poroshenko's low approval ratings ahead of next spring's presidential elections.

Russia and NATO are holding discussions on present-day issues via the NATO-Russia Council that was established in May 2002. The council, however, was suspended in 2014-2016 over the situation in Ukraine. The latest NATO-Russia Council meeting was held in October at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

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