MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. NATO's actions in Northern Europe exacerbate the risk for the region to become an area of heightened tensions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following a meeting of Russian ambassadors from certain European countries.
The event took place in Kaliningrad and was led by Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov.
"The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO is an additional factor changing the military and political situation in the Baltic-Arctic region. This exacerbates the risks that this part of the Eurasian continent will turn into a zone of heightened tensions," the statement said.
At a separate meeting between Titov and Kaliningrad Region Acting Governor Alexey Besprozvannykh, "appreciation was expressed about the special role of the region as Russia's outpost on the Baltic, and discussion was given to the goals of ensuring its unimpeded development, logistical accessibility, and maintaining the lines of international communication."
Titov and Russian diplomats discussed current and future measures to counter the anti-Russian policy of unfriendly states. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, governments of Western countries continue to pursue hostile policies in an attempt to contain Russia and seek to continue severing natural ties between the countries.
"An exchange of views was held on information and military commemoration work, countering attempts to falsify history, protection of the rights of Russian expatriates, practical issues of ensuring the operation of Russian embassies," the ministry said. "The participants of the meeting also met with Baltic Fleet commanders, laid flowers at the monument to Peter the Great, honored fallen Baltic sailors and visited the St. George's Cathedral of the Baltic Fleet."