Russia Slams NATO, “Elite Club,” Over Ukraine, Kosovo, Libya

Xinhua News Agency
April 10, 2014

Russia slams NATO over Ukraine

MOSCOW: Moscow said Thursday that NATO took the roles of a referee and a court-marshal in Kosovo and Libya, while turning a blind eye on extremist forces in Ukraine.

“In recent months, we have not heard from NATO Secretary General (Anders Fogh Rasmussen) any constructive agenda or care about sooner normalization of situation in Ukraine,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, blaming Rasmussen for his “active employment of double standards.”

NATO attempts to use the crisis in Ukraine to “close ranks” within the bloc, which, in its view, allegedly faces threat from Russia, said the statement.

NATO accents “increasing militarization of Russia” to prove the bloc is still needed in the 21st century, it added.

Russia said it was not surprised by NATO’s attempt to represent itself as an “elite club” bearing some special political legitimacy and ignoring international institutions, including the U.N. Security Council.

Earlier this month, Rasmussen highlighted the alliance’s steadfast commitment to collective defense and decided to suspend all civilian and military cooperation with Russia.