NATO-Russia Council may not meet before Alliance Summit

REUTERS

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told The Associated Press that the alliance wants the meeting "to prevent misunderstandings, miscalculations and try to reduce tensions" with Moscow, AP reports.

In April, NATO foreign ministers agreed to seek a pre-summit convening of the NATO-Russia Council, where the Kremlin is represented by an ambassador and other officials.

Read alsoNATO chief demands Russia withdraw from Ukraine: RFE/RLBut Stoltenberg said, "I am not certain whether that is possible... but hopefully we will be able to have it shortly after the summit."

He declined to explain why the meeting may happen later than NATO had hoped.

"We are now in dialogue with Russia on the agenda, on the modalities," Stoltenberg said.