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Russia hails ties with future NATO chief

19 April 2014 18:50 (UTC +04:00)

In an interview with Rossiya 1 television, due to be released later on Saturday, Putin indicated that the appointment of former Norwegian prime minister Jens Stoltenberg as NATO’s next secretary general, who takes over in October 2014, could help ties.

"We have very good relations, including personal relations. This is a very serious, responsible person," he said, adding, "But let's see how he will develop relations in his new capacity."

Relations between the two sides have been at their worst since Crimea's integration into Russia back in March.

However, the Russian president stressed that nothing can hinder normal cooperation between Moscow and the Western military alliance.

Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned that Russia’s alleged involvement in the current turmoil in Ukraine would result in “far-reaching consequences” in Moscow’s relations with the West.

The warnings came one day after the alliance announced it was suspending all military and civilian cooperation with Russia.

Tensions between Western powers and Moscow heightened after the Crimean territory declared independence from Ukraine and formally applied to become part of Russia following a referendum on March 16, in which almost 97 percent of the participants voted for rejoining Russia, with a turnout of over 83 percent.

On March 21, Putin signed into law documents that officially made the Black Sea peninsula part of the Russian Federation despite condemnation from the West and the new Ukrainian government.

The move sparked angry reactions from the United States and the European Union, both imposing sanctions against a number of Russian officials and authorities in Crimea.