KIEV, March 22 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's minister for European and international integration welcomed on Sunday NATO's willingness to resume cooperation with Russia.

Hryhoriy Nemyrya said at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels that NATO's intention to resume cooperation with Russia was an important step towards strengthening security in Europe.

Scheffer announced NATO's decision to restart cooperation with Russia on March 5, after meeting with foreign ministers from the alliance's member states.

The work of the Russia-NATO Council was suspended by the alliance unilaterally in September 2008, after Russia's retaliation to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia in August.

Scheffer had also said NATO was ready to discuss a proposal by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the establishment of a new European security system.

Russia's envoy to the military alliance, Dmitry Rogozin, earlier said the work of the Russia-NATO Council could resume later this month. He also said the "period of estrangement" in Russia-NATO relations is "largely behind us."