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https://voennoedelo.com/en/posts/id14210-shireff-reveals-first-encounter-with-gerasimov-and-nato-russia-tensions

Shireff Reveals First Encounter with Gerasimov and NATO-Russia Tensions

Shireff Discusses First Meeting with Gerasimov and NATO's Challenges with Russia

Shireff Reveals First Encounter with Gerasimov and NATO-Russia Tensions

In an interview, Shireff recalls his first meeting with Russian General Gerasimov, revealing how NATO's view of Russia clashed with Gerasimov's Cold War mindset.

2026-03-20T09:01:02+03:00

2026-03-20T09:01:02+03:00

2026-03-20T09:01:02+03:00

In an interview with BBC, Richard Shireff, the former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, shared his first encounter with Russian Chief of General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, back in the early 2010s when Gerasimov was still Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s armed forces. Shireff described Gerasimov as «a tough guy, almost made of iron, like the Soviet generals», adding that he embodied the traditional Soviet and Russian military mindset. The NATO general recalled that, at the time, he was invited to speak at the Russian General Staff Academy, and NATO was attempting to engage Russia as a strategic partner. He arrived in Moscow with this intention, but he quickly realized that their views were fundamentally different. Shireff explained that during their initial meeting, Gerasimov immediately began discussing missile defense and nuclear deterrence-issues that, according to Shireff, NATO viewed as relics of the Cold War. He emphasized that this was a clear indication that Russia was still thinking in Cold War terms, and for Moscow, NATO remained an adversary.

Richard Shireff, Gerasimov, NATO-Russia relations, Cold War mindset, Russian General Staff, missile defense, nuclear deterrence, Russia military, NATO strategy, Shireff interview

2026

John Baker

news

Shireff Discusses First Meeting with Gerasimov and NATO's Challenges with Russia

Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

John Baker, Editor

12:01 20-03-2026

In an interview, Shireff recalls his first meeting with Russian General Gerasimov, revealing how NATO's view of Russia clashed with Gerasimov's Cold War mindset.

In an interview with BBC, Richard Shireff, the former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, shared his first encounter with Russian Chief of General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, back in the early 2010s when Gerasimov was still Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s armed forces.

Shireff described Gerasimov as «a tough guy, almost made of iron, like the Soviet generals», adding that he embodied the traditional Soviet and Russian military mindset. The NATO general recalled that, at the time, he was invited to speak at the Russian General Staff Academy, and NATO was attempting to engage Russia as a strategic partner. He arrived in Moscow with this intention, but he quickly realized that their views were fundamentally different.

Shireff explained that during their initial meeting, Gerasimov immediately began discussing missile defense and nuclear deterrence-issues that, according to Shireff, NATO viewed as relics of the Cold War. He emphasized that this was a clear indication that Russia was still thinking in Cold War terms, and for Moscow, NATO remained an adversary.