US, Georgian and Bulgarian soldiers take part in a military exercise in Bulgaria, May 31, 2021. Photo/REUTERS
The warning was expressed by the Russian Foreign Minister (Menlu) Sergey Lavrov on Thursday (2/12/2021).
Speaking in Stockholm, which is currently hosting a meeting of the OSCE Council of Ministers, Lavrov stressed Moscow wants to increase “strategic stability” on the continent, which he said was “rapidly eroding.”
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“NATO refuses to consider our proposals on de-escalation of tensions and prevention of dangerous incidents,” Lavrov said.
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He accused the US-led bloc of rejecting constructive discussions. “Instead, the alliance’s military infrastructure is moving closer to Russia’s borders… The nightmare scenario of a military confrontation is back again,” he said.
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Lavrov’s comments come amid growing concerns over an alleged military buildup on Russia’s border with Ukraine.
Since early November, several Western media outlets have claimed Moscow is planning an “invasion” of its neighbor, Ukraine. The Kremlin has vehemently denied the allegations.
Last month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to be transparent about its military activities. NATO called the Russian troop buildup “huge” and “unusual.”
“We have to be clear, we have to be realistic about the challenges we face. We know that Russia has been willing to use this type of military capability before to carry out aggressive actions against Ukraine,” he said.
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