He said that NATO's persistent efforts to change the military-political situation in the Euro-Atlantic region, as well as strengthening its military presence and infrastructure in the areas bordering Russia is particularly alarming: “Those who initiate such non-constructive actions already understand that we can ensure the sovereignty and security of our country in any progress.”

The minister noted that Russia is a responsible country that is firmly committed to the declarations adopted by the OSCE and in the Russia-NATO Council for the past 20 years: “These declarations envisage the desire of the parties to establish an equal security space in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasia, as well as the assurance that none of the parties will strengthen its security by undermining the security of others”, he said.

Lavrov expressed regret at the fact that these declarations remain on paper.

“All our attempts to make them legally binding have been rejected by our Western counterparts. I am sure that if the principle of equal and indivisible security became legally binding, many conflicts in Europe would have been settled long ago”, the minister stressed.

According to the foreign minister, these include the Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistrian conflicts. “And there would not have been a Ukrainian crisis at all,” he concluded.

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