MOSCOW (Voice of Russia): Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has urged European countries to clarify their stance on cooperation and dialogue regarding the Arctic region. He said the Arctic should remain a region of cooperation based on mutual interest rather than confrontation.
Speaking to journalists, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European countries need to remove the contradictions in their policy on Arctic cooperation and in their stance on dialogue.
Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had said the European Union intends to confront Russia and China in the Arctic region. According to her, EU and NATO member states will work to ensure that the Northern Sea Route remains open to all shipping.
Reacting to Kaja Kallas’s statement, Dmitry Peskov reiterated Russia’s position that the Arctic should be used for cooperation based on mutual interest, instead of being made a center of tension and confrontation.
The Russian presidential spokesman said dialogue is necessary to achieve this goal, however European countries are opposed to talks.
Dmitry Peskov said European diplomats should first clarify their own stance, and possibly also explain to each other how they intend to establish various forms of cooperation without dialogue.
The Kremlin spokesman stressed that from Russia’s point of view, cooperation of this kind is not possible without dialogue.
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