NATO is not at war with Russia, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said on Saturday, adding that arms deliveries to a country that is exercising its right of self-defense are allowed under Article 51 of the UN Charter
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th February, 2023) NATO is not at war with Russia, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said on Saturday, adding that arms deliveries to a country that is exercising its right of self-defense are allowed under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
"We are not at war with Russia. NATO is not at war with Russia. None of our European and US partners are at war with Russia. Supplies of equipment to a nation that is engaged in self-defense, a provision of Article 51 of the UN Charter, do not constitute joint participation in hostilities," Legendre told the RTVI broadcaster.
No matter what weapons are supplied, such deliveries are not qualified as joint participation in hostilities, the spokeswoman said.
While speaking about Ukraine's bid for NATO membership, Legendre pointed out that this issue "is not on the agenda today."
She also touched upon contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, saying that Paris seeks to maintain this channel of communication with Moscow open.
"We know very well that these calls (from Macron to Putin) did not allow us to get the answers we would have liked. But, nevertheless, the fact that we keep this channel of communication open and the fact that we are trying to advance certain issues raised by Ukrainians is important," Legendre said.
In April 2022, Moscow sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Kiev after Russia started its military operation in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that providing Ukraine with weapons was not conducive to peace negotiations and would have a detrimental effect on the conflict.
