Russia invites NATO to security conference

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Russia invited NATO to the 6th Moscow Conference on International Security that will be held on April 26 and 27, deputy defense minister said Wednesday.

"We sent an invitation to the NATO leadership, in particular to [NATO Military Committee Chairman] General Petr Pavel," Alexander Fomin told reporters in comments reported by Russian news agency TASS.

Fomin said Moscow had not yet received a confirmation regarding Pavel’s participation, but a representative from the NATO would be attending the conference.

The conference will focus on the “most critical" issues concerning global and regional security, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Combatting international terrorism, security problems in Europe, Central Asia and Asia-Pacific will also be discussed during the conference, the ministry added.

NATO suspended ties with Russia in 2014 following Moscow's annexation of Crimea after an illegal independence vote.

The annexation came after an illegal independence vote on the heels of violent anti-government protests in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, that led to the overthrow of then President Victor Yanukovich.