End of war will not return normal relations with Russia – Stoltenberg

He said this during a speech in Helsinki.

Stoltenberg stated that in recent years Russia has violated key arms control agreements, so even the end of the war will not be able to restore normal relations with the aggressor country.

"Over the last years, Russia has violated key arms control agreements.

Dismantling the whole arms control architecture. So we have to recognise that the end of this war will not be a return to normal in our relations with Russia," he emphasized.

NATO’s chief said that it was Putin who refused to cooperate and engage in dialogue, and that the Russian leader "shattered fundamental principles of global security" by attacking neighbouring countries and undermining democracy in the world.

"At the end of the Cold War, many of us in this room believed we could build a better relationship with Russia. Me included. And I still believe it was the right thing to do. To seize the historic moment to build better security in Europe together with Russia. But President Putin chose to walk away from cooperation and dialogue. He has left a trail of broken promises," said Stoltenberg.

The Secretary General also emphasized that the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, from which Russia withdrew, was "the last main arms control arrangement."

• On February 21, Vladimir Putin said that Russia had decided to suspend its participation in the New START treaty.