Russia has been more sinned against than sinning in its relationship with NATO. From Finian Cunningham at strategic-culture.org:
Russia is right to end the illusion of dialogue and partnership when the reality is the other party is cynically offering to shake hands while trying to piss down your leg.
Russia told the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization to shove its faux diplomacy, thus ending about 30 years of post-Cold War talks and delegations which have achieved little to nothing in terms of normalizing relations.
Moscow may have slammed the door, but it’s not locked. Russia said that from now on it is up to NATO to take the first step in improving relations, thereby implying that sometime in the future Moscow would be open to pursuing a new relationship.
NATO expressed “regret” over Russia’s decision to cut diplomatic channels. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas asserted Russia was making already-fraught relations worse, plunging communications back into the icy recesses of the Cold War.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced this week that Russia was closing down its representative mission to NATO in the Belgian capital, Brussels, where the U.S.-led military alliance is headquartered. Russia also gave notice to NATO to close its information bureau in Moscow. Any further communication that is required can be conducted through the office of the Russian ambassador to Belgium.
