Foreign Ministry: Discussion with Russia on missile defence factually blocked

Discussion with Russia on missile defense through political and military channels is factually blocked, and now contacts of industrial and expert communities are also halted, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday, commenting on the rejection of the application of Russian representatives for participation in the annual international conference on missile defense, which will be held in Mainz, Germany, June 17-20.

Such an "ostrich" approach causes concern under the conditions when unlimited deployment of US-NATO missile defense systems is actively continuing in Europe. It is fraught with violation of the strategic balance and undermining of international stability, the ministry notes.

The conference promoters referred to some “recently emerging various difficulties” that allegedly did not allow creating "proper conditions to receive Russian guests", the ministry said.
The step was within the line taken by the United States and its allies in NATO to halt the dialogue with Russia on missile defense, it noted.

“They have already factually blocked discussion of the subject through political and military channels, and it seems that it is the turn to halt contacts in industry and expert circles.”
“Such an ‘ostrich’ approach causes concern under the conditions when unlimited deployment of US-NATO missile defense systems is actively continuing in Europe. It is fraught with violation of the strategic balance and undermining of international stability,” the ministry notes.

“We repeatedly proposed our foreign colleagues to start joint work to counteract possible missile challenges and threats. The proposals remain in force. However, they can hardly be realized when one of the sides in fact completely refuses to have a talk.”
“The situation only confirms our conclusions about the real purpose of the anti-missile potential being created by the United States and its allies,” the ministry says.