Russia Slams US for 'Distorting Reality' by Blaming Moscow for Ukraine Escalation

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - On Wednesday, the Russian Embassy in the United States called on Washington not to "distort reality" by blaming Moscow for the escalating situation in Ukraine.

"We call on @StateDept not to distort the reality. For the sake of de-escalation, the United States should not create anti-Russian military sites near our borders", the embassy tweeted.

"In particular, #Washington shall undertake to prevent further eastward expansion of @NATO, deny accession to the Alliance to the States of the former #USSR, not use their infrastructure for any military activities, and not develop bilateral military cooperation with them", another tweet in the thread read.

The embassy expressed confidence that these steps would allow to "defuse dangerous tensions" in Europe and conclude agreements on guarantees of equal and indivisible security.

US and Ukrainian soldiers talk during the opening ceremony of "Fearless Guardian - 2015"

© AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky

This statement came as a response after US State Department spokesperson Ned Price tweeted late on Tuesday that "Russia and its proxies are responsible for escalating tensions" in Ukraine, not Kiev or Washington, contrary to Moscow's statements on the matter.

To stop the escalation, Moscow put forward security guarantee proposals and later published the draft agreements on the Foreign Ministry's website.

They include legally binding commitments by Russia and the US not to deploy weapons and forces in areas where they may be a threat to each other's national security, and a deal stipulating to stop NATO expansion near Russia's borders, and not to invite post-Soviet countries into the bloc, or create military bases on their territory.