NATO Chief Stoltenberg Gives Press Conference After Meeting With Russia

On 12 January, the first meeting since 2019 between high-level delegations from Russia and NATO on security guarantees in Europe took place at the organisation's headquarters in Brussels in the framework of the Russia-NATO Council.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg held a media briefing in Brussels following the Russia-NATO meeting, which followed talks between Moscow and Washington on security guarantees that took place on Monday.

In late December 2021, Russia proposed a series of guidelines amid heightened tensions with the West, inviting NATO to guarantee that it would: refrain from 'advancing eastwards' by taking in accepting new members from the former Soviet Union, especially Ukraine and Georgia; refrain from creating military bases on the territory of former Soviet countries; and also refrain from deploying of short-range and intermediate-range missiles in the region.

Tensions between Russia and the West have increased in the past several weeks amid an alleged Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border and speculations that Moscow plans on "invading" Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations, saying it reserves the right to relocate troops within its sovereign territory and at its own discretion, while making it clear that NATO's military activity near Russia's borders posed a threat to its security.

Follow Sputnik's Live Feed to Find Out More!