Russian ambassador rules out possibility of conflict in the Aegean

The Russian ambassador to Greece, Andrey Maslov, has ruled out the possibility of an armed conflict between Greece and Turkey, pointing out that both countries are members of the NATO alliance.

“I cannot imagine an armed conflict in the Aegean. We are talking about two countries that are members of the North Atlantic Alliance,” Maslov told a press briefing in Athens Tuesday.

Asked about Ankara’s decision to buy Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles worth 2.5 billion dollars – which has worried the West because the system cannot be integrated into NATO’s military architecture – Maslov said the deal did not jeopardize the power balance in the region.

“The S-400 are not a threat to Greece which has previously possessed similar defense systems,” he said.

Maslov avoided making a comment on the issue of the two Greek soldiers detained in Turkey after accidentally crossing the border early March.