KALININGRAD. May 28 (Interfax-AVN) - NATO deems inappropriate the involvement of a Russian warship in the Baltops-2014 international exercises to take place in the Baltic Sea in June.
NATO Information Office in Moscow Director Robert Pszczel told Interfax the absence of a Russian battleship in the Baltops exercises reflected the alliance's position announced on April 1. The alliance decided to freeze military cooperation with the Russian Defense Ministry because of the Ukrainian crisis.
Considering the unanimous position of NATO member states, the engagement of a Russian Navy ship in the Baltops exercises will be inappropriate and impermissible although NATO welcomed Russian servicemen to such exercises in the earlier period, Pszczel said.
Baltops are annual exercises that have been held in the Baltic Sea since 1972. The Russian Navy took part in 19 exercises since 1993.
The drill aims to bolster mutual understanding, build up confidence, promote closer cooperation between navies and servicemen of participating countries and improve professional skills of national naval forces and staff in a series of joint exercises.