MOSCOW, December 27. /TASS/. Russia is doubtful its demand to halt NATO’s eastward expansion will gain traction, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview aired on Monday.

Russia released its proposals for security guarantees to the wider public recently to prevent the West from sweeping them under the rug, he said in an interview with the Soloviev Live YouTube channel.

Still, "we have serious doubts that the key thing in the proposals - the unconditional demand for a halt to NATO’s eastward expansion - won’t fall by the wayside," Lavrov said.

Russia is now waiting for the planned talks on security guarantees and will move ahead based on what it will hear back from the US on the proposals.

On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry released draft agreements on security guarantees addressed to the US and NATO. They had been handed over to a US representative on December 15.