MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin on Monday called the new Russia-NATO Council, to be inaugurated at a key summit Tuesday, Russia's latest contribution to international security.
Putin's comments came the day after he wrapped up a summit with President Bush that produced a landmark nuclear arms-control deal seen as the latest sign of warming relations between Russia and the West.
The agreement Putin is to sign at an Italian air force base Tuesday with the 19 NATO leaders "is a very important document that will change the quality of relations between Russia and NATO," Putin said in remarks shown on Russian television stations.
"It will be an extra contribution of Russia to international security," he said.
The new Russia-NATO Council is intended to give Russia an equal say in formulating policy on fighting terrorism and some European security issues. The agreement came after years of tension between Russia and NATO over the alliance's expansion to the east to include former Soviet satellite states.
NATO opened its long-delayed military mission in Moscow, with the chairman of NATO's military committee, Guido Venturioni, and the first deputy head of Russia's General Staff, Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, cutting the ribbons on the new office.
Putin's strong support for the U.S.-led anti-terrorism campaign is credited with helping pave the way for the Russia-NATO agreement and the U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control deal.