German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday that Russia's announcement that it was shutting its mission to NATO had made a troubling situation even more difficult.
"It makes things more difficult and they were already difficult. Germany has sought, within NATO, for there to be a dialogue with Russia," Maas told reporters after a meeting of European Union foreign ministers, adding Russia had previously signalled a willingness to talk.
"We must acknowledge more and more that Russia no longer seems to be (willing)," he continued. "It's more than just regrettable, this decision taken in Moscow ... It will seriously damage the relationship."
