Russian Deputy Defense Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin said that the department invited the NATO leadership to the IX Moscow Conference on International Security. The event will be held on June 22-24.
He noted that the heads of defense departments of 119 countries from different regions of the world, including the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, Latin America and the EU, also received invitations.
The Russian Defense Ministry, as Fomin noted, does not make any exceptions for political reasons.
"And to come to the conference or not-the right remains for each specific country, for each specific participant," the deputy minister said in an interview with RT on Thursday, June 3.
The conference, according to him, will allow to discuss directly and honestly the most acute problems of modern security. It is noted that the forum's program includes the most pressing issues on the international agenda, which are mainly solved by military departments, including the problem of preventing terrorist threats.
"The uniqueness and importance of the conference also lies in the fact that it is attended by the military, people in uniform, who, like no one else, know the essence and price of war, represent the scale of threats of military escalation, the consequences of the development of conflicts, understand the need for dialogue to prevent incidents," Fomin stressed.
On the eve of the press service of the Ministry of Defense reported that the heads of military departments and commanders of the armed forces of 49 countries have already agreed to take part in the Moscow conference.
On June 1, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that NATO has malicious plans for the country. A day earlier, he said that Russia is ready to resume dialogue with NATO, but on the condition that it will not be empty-mouthed.
According to him, Moscow aims to focus the attention of the NATO–Russia Council on security issues. At the same time, the minister stressed that Moscow is still waiting for the North Atlantic Alliance to respond to many proposals that have been considered by NATO for more than a year.
On the same day, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry, Sergei Shoigu, said that Russia will create about 20 new formations and units in the ZVO for "adequate confrontation with NATO." According to him, the constant improvement of the combat composition of the Russian troops is necessary because of the actions of the West.
The Minister also stressed that the military threat continues to grow in the western strategic direction. Thus, the countries of the alliance and the United States are increasing the frequency and intensity of their strategic aviation flights, increasing the presence of warships with cruise missiles, and increasing the number of their exercises.
At the same time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a press conference that the North Atlantic Alliance wants to improve relations with Russia.
