LONDON, June 12. /TASS/. Europe is experiencing a security crisis caused by its own policy of ignoring Russia's legitimate interests, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Andrey Kelin said at a reception to mark Russia Day.

"Russia's fate has never been an easy one. Yet it has always found the strength to overcome all odds, preserving what matters most - the unity of its people, fidelity to its values and confidence in its own capabilities," the diplomat said.

"The present crisis in European security is no exception. Russia did not seek this confrontation. For years we warned of the dangers inherent in the course pursued by the West, which ignored our country’s legitimate interests. We explained clearly where that course would lead. We were not heard - or perhaps not wished to be heard. Today, all of Europe confronts the consequences of its own policy," Kelin said.

He explained that Russia, for its part, defends what is non-negotiable: the right to security, sovereignty, and one's own path of development.

"Russia has overcome far greater challenges before, and it will overcome this one too. On our own terms and with dignity," the head of the diplomatic mission said.

The ambassador recalled that the world is undergoing rapid and irreversible changes, with the era of Western hegemony fading into the past and giving way to multipolarity.

The new world order will not be simple, but it has one undeniable advantage: it gives a voice to those previously ignored and the right to independently determine their own destiny--without dictates, ultimatums, or double standards. "We are convinced that it is precisely on this foundation that a sustainable system of international relations can be built," Kelin said.