Russia, NATO agree on Russia new military doctrine

Russia and NATO do not have any misunderstanding on Russia's new military doctrine, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov announced during his visit to the 27th Sevastopol guard infantry brigade of the Moscow military district together with NATO Secretary General George Robertson.

In the middle of October, there was "certain misunderstanding" in Colorado Springs, but only in "journalistic circles," the minister pointed out.

"None of NATO ministries nor George Robertson demanded anything from me, and I calmly discuss with my colleagues from the Alliance Russia's new military doctrine," Ivanov explained. "It does not state that NATO poses a threat to Russia," he emphasised.

"Nuclear weapons still remain a deterrent means and we do not speak of being the first to use them," the Russian Defence Minister said in Colorado Springs.

Russia is not going to be the first to use nuclear weapons, but it reserves the right to the preventive use of force if the interests of the country and its allies are threatened and all other means of protection have been exhausted, he pointed out then.