Russia's Defense Minister: Russia Has Never Sought to Join NATO

'Russia has never sought to join NATO's military structures, nor has NATO ever shown any interest in Russia joining these structures,' Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov announced today at a joint press conference in St. Petersburg with Britain's Defence Minister.

The Minister noted that Russia has a constructive working relationship with NATO within the framework of its role as the 'twentieth partner' of the organisation, and has already started working on most NATO committees whose activity is of mutual interest.