Moscow calls on NATO to halt attempts of building relations with Russia in the spirit of the confrontation era until it is too late, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said "at this stage Russian-NATO relations are in the deepest crisis since the end of the Cold War." "The alliance’s drive to prove it is being in demand by whipping up a myth on "a threat from the East" stonewalls uniting efforts of states in the fight against common threats and challenges."
"The growing negative tendency is not Russia’s choice. This is a direct result of a destructive line of the bloc, aimed at reckless achievement of military and political dominance in European and global affairs. Until it is late, there is the need to stop attempts of building relations with our country in the spirit of schemes and mechanisms of the confrontation era," the ministry stressed.
Despite current difficulties, Russia is convinced that if during the confrontation between blocs the sides managed to discuss problems "this is more possible now when Euro-Atlantic states have no ideological differences."
Russia’s Foreign Ministry added that NATO’s deployment on the eastern flank leads to a dangerous round of arms race.
"The measures undertaken for enhancing NATO’s eastern flank, boosting military presence and infrastructure in regions bordering Russia erode provisions of the Founding Act first of all in relation to commitments to "carry out its collective defense and other missions by ensuring the necessary interoperability, integration, and capability for reinforcement rather than by additional permanent stationing of substantial combat forces," the statement says.
The forward stationing of NATO’s equipment regardless of goals of using it means permanent military presence and the fact that a formal rotation of the personnel is carried out has no principal importance, the ministry noted.
Moscow says "the attempts of bypassing the principles of the Founding Act are dangerous and contrary to the genuine interests of NATO members." "We see in this region the alliance’s drive to legitimize military buildup near Russia’s borders, which together with military activity of some countries of the bloc change the balance of power in Europe and lead to a dangerous round of arms race," the ministry stressed.
