MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. Russia has a tough position on issues of security guarantees and hopes for a substantive dialogue with the United States, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with the Rossiiskaya Gazeta on Monday.

"We have a tough position but our message is clear to the West. We hope for a substantive dialogue with the United States. We have formed a team and we are ready to begin a conversation immediately, as soon as the Americans are ready for it," he said when asked whether Russia could compromise on any of its demands laid down in its proposals to the United States.

Commenting on the question of whether there is any shortage in contacts between the Russian and US military, Grushko said, "Naturally." In his words, the lack of contact between the military poses big risks. "The removal of drills from the lines of contact, joint work on the improvement of mechanisms to avoid military incidents, setting a minimum distance of approaching with warships and warplanes - all these matters require the use of military channels. Such things should be discussed by specialists, but, due to some unknown reason, NATO thinks it is a political problem," he added.

"If we really want de-escalation by using measures that will make it possible to remove the risks of military incidents, we need to resume channels for communication between the military. And what we are doing today is a reaction to the absolute lack of any rational progress toward reversing risks," he said.

On Friday, the Russian foreign ministry released two Russian draft agreements in security guarantees from the United States and NATO. These documents were handed over to the US side at a meeting at the Russian foreign ministry on December 15.