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NATO allocates huge funds for deterring Russia, says senior diplomat

This fact has a destructive effect on any attempts to build pan-European security on other principles, Alexander Grushko noted

BRUSSELS, January 12. /TASS/. NATO places the tasks of deterring Russia at the forefront of its policy and military development and allocates huge funds for these purposes, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said after a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council on Wednesday.

"The tasks of deterring Russia are placed at the forefront of NATO’s policy and military development. Huge funds are allocated for these purposes. It is not concealed that this is the alliance’s main designation. This fact by itself has a destructive effect on any attempts to build pan-European security on other principles," the senior Russian diplomat said.

As Grushko pointed out, "NATO’s evolutional turn to the military security schemes of the Cold War period, the 1949 patterns" is one of the factors that has a systemic impact on the security situation in Europe.

The talks at the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels marked the second stage of consultations between Russia and Western countries on Russia’s proposals on European security. The meeting is a follow-up of the negotiations between Russia and the United States held in Geneva on January 10. Also, a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council will take place in Vienna on January 13.

The Russian delegation in Brussels was led by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. On NATO’s behalf, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and permanent representatives of the alliance’s 30 member states took part in the Brussels talks.

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