& quot; Our management has repeatedly said that & nbsp; we & nbsp; no longer & nbsp; can put up with the & nbsp; situation, & nbsp; & nbs proximity to & nbsp; our borders, we & nbsp; can & nbsp; be reconciled with & nbsp; NATO expansion. We & nbsp; will not & nbsp; just prevent it, we & nbsp; put a barrier & nbsp;, & nbsp; & mdash; Sergei Ryabkov said in an & nbsp; interview with Interfax.
According to the diplomat, Moscow intends to achieve a sharp reduction in the military presence of the United States and NATO in the areas “where negative dynamics has been observed since 1997 during the talks on security guarantees.”
“These are all essential elements of our position. We & nbsp; not & nbsp; can do without & nbsp; a serious in-depth conversation of this very topic in & nbsp; the course of upcoming contacts & raquo;, & nbsp; & mdash; added the deputy minister.
Recall that on December 17 & nbsp; the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published the country's draft agreements with & nbsp; NATO and & nbsp; the United States on & nbsp; security guarantees. The & nbsp; document states that & nbsp; the United States should not & nbsp; should establish military bases on & nbsp; territory of the former Soviet Union countries that are & nbsp; & nbsp; NATO, and & nbsp; the alliance should stop expanding to the & nbsp; east.
NATO & nbsp; confirmed that & nbsp; secretary general of the alliance Jens Stoltenberg plans on January 12 & nbsp; to convene a meeting of the council Russia & nbsp; & mdash; NATO. As Sergei Ryabkov later said, negotiations with the & nbsp; USA on & nbsp; security guarantees could take place on January 10 & nbsp;, and & nbsp; with & nbsp; NATO & nbsp; & mdash; January 12 & nbsp; According to the diplomat, there is no final agreement yet.