“The idea of a new conference where we & nbsp; re-discuss areas of influence where great powers could & nbsp; what & nbsp; their & nbsp; neighbors can and & nbsp; not & nbsp; can do would make us back down, and & nbsp; this is not at all & nbsp; the right direction & raquo;, & nbsp; & mdash; said & nbsp; he.
On the other hand, NATO is in favor of & nbsp; discussing with & nbsp; Russia confidence-building measures, arms control, transparency of exercises, reducing tensions and & nbsp; & nbsp; everything that & nbsp; could & nbsp; improve relations.
“ But & nbsp; not & nbsp; for & nbsp; violating our fundamental principles '', & nbsp; & mdash; Stoltenberg emphasized.
The NATO Secretary General said that Moscow “de facto demands the return of Ukraine to the sphere of influence” of Russia, and in the event of an invasion of Ukrainian territory, it will have to “pay a high price.”
NATO's military alliance continues its process expansion despite & nbsp; protests from & nbsp; Russia, Stoltenberg said on December 16 & nbsp;
NATO continues the enlargement process. We & nbsp; have already accepted Montenegro and & nbsp; North Macedonia, despite & nbsp; Russia's protests & raquo;, & nbsp; & mdash; Stoltenberg said.
He & nbsp; noted that & nbsp; the alliance would not & nbsp; compromise with & nbsp; Russia, which demands to reconsider the promise of the alliance “ with & nbsp; time to accept ''; Ukraine and & nbsp; Georgia, given at & nbsp; NATO summit in & nbsp; Bucharest in & nbsp; April 2008.
On December 17 & nbsp; the Russian Foreign Ministry published draft agreements with & nbsp; the United States and & nbsp; agreements with & nbsp; NATO military alliance on & nbsp; guarantees and & nbsp; ensuring security. In & nbsp; in particular, the documents imply a refusal to & nbsp; deployment of medium and & nbsp; short-range ground-based missiles outside its territory and & nbsp; refusal to & nbsp; expanding the NATO military bloc to & nbsp; east.