Szijjarto after NATO summit: Direct confrontation between NATO, Russia must be avoided

A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia must be avoided at all costs, especially since the war in Ukraine is threatening to be a protracted one, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in Madrid on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the NATO summit. A protracted war is likely to result in "the senseless death of thousands, lingering wartime inflation deepening into a global economic crisis, and energy security taking a hit." So brokering peace is a top priority, he said. Strategic communication channels must remain open between NATO and Russia to avoid direct conflict and "unintentional escalation", he said.