U.S. Proposes to Revive NATO Russia Council despite Russia’s expanding global terror
The United States has reportedly proposed reviving the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) as part of a broader diplomatic strategy aimed at bringing about a ceasefire in Ukraine. This proposal, revealed by Bloomberg on May 15, comes amid intense global efforts to end Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its third year. But the idea of restoring a forum for dialogue with Moscow—despite ongoing atrocities and war crimes—has already provoked criticism and deep concern in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
The NATO-Russia Council was established in 2002 as a platform for military and political dialogue between NATO and the Russian Federation. The goal was to build trust, enhance transparency, and coordinate responses to shared security challenges in the post–Cold War order. For a time, it served as a venue for consultations on counterterrorism, arms control, missile defense, and military exercises. However, its foundational assumption—that Russia would act as a constructive partner—was shattered repeatedly over the following two decades.
Cooperation within the NRC began to deteriorate after Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia. But the breaking point came in 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea and launched a proxy war in eastern Ukraine. In response, NATO suspended all practical cooperation with Russia under the NRC framework, although political channels remained formally open for communication. Even those were rendered functionally obsolete after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Since that invasion, Russia has waged a campaign of total war across Ukrainian cities, including mass killings of civilians, the bombing of hospitals and schools, the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russian territory, and widespread use of torture in occupied areas. These actions, many of which meet the legal definition of genocide or crimes against humanity, led NATO to cease all engagement with Russia through the NRC. The Council has not met since January 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signaled openness to peace talks, dispatching a delegation to Istanbul. However, he has made clear that Ukraine will not accept territorial concessions and that any negotiations must begin with a full and verifiable ceasefire. Kyiv also insists on binding international security guarantees backed by the United States and its allies.
In contrast, the Kremlin demands permanent exclusion of Ukraine from NATO, demilitarization of the country, and recognition of its land grabs. President Vladimir Putin has delegated his aide Vladimir Medinsky to lead the talks, avoiding personal involvement—a move interpreted as a lack of serious intent by many analysts.
The idea of reviving the NATO-Russia Council raises troubling questions. Can genuine dialogue occur with a regime that bombs civilian convoys and abducts children? Critics argue that treating Russia as a legitimate security partner while its war crimes go unpunished risks normalizing terror as a diplomatic tool.
As the world watches for signs of a possible ceasefire, the reactivation of the NRC may be seen either as a bold attempt at diplomacy—or a dangerous concession to a terrorist state.
Previously, Trump signaled frustration with Putin’s games while also mulling over new sanctions.