The United States denied the news of a new direct line of NATO and the Russian Federation

A new direct line of communication between the North Atlantic Alliance and Russia does not exist, the US ambassador to NATO said. All previously available channels of military communication are still valid.

The United States has denied reports that NATO has opened a new communication channel - a direct line with the Russian military command, DPA reported on May 8. This is just another check of existing channels, carried out in connection with the Ukrainian crisis and tense relations with Moscow, US Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute said in Brussels on May 8. According to him, the check showed that these lines are still in operation. “The connection was never interrupted, and it never had to be restored,” Lute emphasized.

Earlier, the media reported that the 24-hour direct hotline, the so-called "red phone" — for emergency communication in case of crisis situations. This channel is supposedly constantly open and regularly tested, and the operation to establish communication takes place in strict secrecy.

The establishment of a new direct line between NATO and Russian military experts was proposed in December 2014 by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, citing a “lack of contacts.” He justified the need for this measure by the increasing frequency of flights of Russian strategic bombers and other military aircraft near the airspace of European countries.