The architecture of strategic stability is rapidly collapsing, and a nightmare scenario of military confrontation is returning to Europe. Such a statement on Thursday, December 2, was made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
According to him, the North Atlantic Alliance is refusing to constructively consider the proposals of the Russian side to reduce tensions and prevent dangerous incidents.
“On the contrary, the military infrastructure of the alliance is being brought closer to the Russian borders … The nightmare scenario of a military confrontation is returning,” Lavrov stressed during a speech at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The minister also pointed out the unacceptability of the desire of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) to turn the neighboring countries of Russia into a springboard for confrontation with Moscow.
“I want it to be very clear: the transformation of our neighboring countries into a springboard for confrontation with Russia, the deployment of NATO forces in the immediate vicinity of strategically important areas for our security is categorically unacceptable,” he added.
In addition, Lavrov said that Moscow would soon make proposals for an agreement on the non-expansion of NATO to the east. He expressed the hope that the RF proposals will be seriously considered “on the merits and excuses.”
On the eve, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the very idea that Russia could have a sphere of influence was unacceptable. Thinking like that means recognizing that Moscow can control the actions of its neighbors, he said. NATO does not want to return to this world, Stoltenberg added, noting that the alliance will continue to strengthen the potential of Georgia and Ukraine seeking membership in the organization.
Federation Council Vice-Speaker Konstantin Kosachev, speaking with Izvestia, pointed out that NATO is using assumptions about “Russian aggression” against Ukraine to justify its eastward advance. He stressed that Russia has repeatedly at all possible levels recorded its lack of any proactive offensive intentions in the Ukrainian direction.
On November 21, the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov stressed that NATO should stop provocative activities near the Russian borders in order to find a way out of the current tense situation in relations between the Russian Federation and the West. He added that under the guise of the alliance’s exercises in the Black Sea, Ukraine is most likely seeking another attempt to start a military solution to its internal problem.
On November 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that an unplanned US exercise in the Black Sea is a serious challenge for Russia. He said that the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation had a proposal to also conduct its own unplanned exercises, but the Russian leader considered it inappropriate.
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