Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said NATO is a throwback to the Cold War, but admitted that it sometimes plays a stabilizing role in international relations, RIA Novosti reported.
"I believe that NATO is, in general an atavism to the Cold War. It was established at a time when there was a bipolar system of international relations," Putin said, responding to MPs' questions after a speech in the Duma with the final report of the Russian government.
"There is no such situation today, and it is not clear why such organization as NATO exist, but it is, it's geopolitical realities and they should be taken into account," he said.
Putin noted that NATO at times plays a stabilizing role in international affairs. He cited Afghanistan as an example.