Russia calls EU, NATO response to letter on security 'disrespectful'
Russia's Foreign Ministry calls disrespectful and lacking in substance, a joint response by the Western military alliance of NATO and the European Union to its security demands.
According to a statement issued by the ministry on Friday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had asked all member nations of the two blocs about their understanding of the principle of "indivisible security," expecting an individual response from each country.
Instead, he had received replies from the head of NATO and the EU foreign policy chief. This is while Lavrov had not addressed the initial request to the two.
"Such a step cannot be seen as anything other than a sign of diplomatic impoliteness and disrespect for our request," the ministry said.
The ministry also said the West had gone on a media propaganda campaign aimed at spreading false information by suggesting that Moscow might be planning to invade Ukraine.
The Western countries were rather seeking to distract attention from their own aggressive actions, it added.
The lack of cooperation on the part of NATO and the EU comes amid simmering tensions between Moscow and the West over Ukraine.
The West claims that Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine's borders, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken alleging that Moscow could start invading the ex-Soviet republic "at any time."
Moscow roundly rejects the allegation, asserting that the troop build-up is a response to NATO's activities near Russian borders and that it is free to move its troops about within its own borders.
The US has, however, dispatched several contingents of troops as part of efforts to reinforce NATO’s military buildup in eastern Europe.
Moscow has demanded that Washington and Brussels guarantee NATO would never let Ukraine join the bloc. They have refused to do so, but sent their own proposals to Russia.
Also on Friday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russia would respond "in the nearest future" to the counterproposals.
Shoigu, meanwhile, urged the West to stop supplying arms to Ukraine and said Russia was not the one to blame for the rising tensions in Europe.
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