Moscow calls on NATO to abandon Alliance's expansion, cease 'conducting military activities' in post-Soviet space – draft agreement

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia published on the website its own draft agreement on security measures for Russia and the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) on Friday.

The draft document, consisting of nine articles, presupposes NATO's refusal to expand, in particular, the obligation of Ukraine not to access the Alliance, as well as the obligation of the Alliance member states to abandon any military activity in the territory of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia.

"The participants, which are member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, accept obligations precluding further expansion of NATO, including the accession of Ukraine, as well as other states... refuse to conduct any military activity on the territory of Ukraine, as well as other states of Eastern Europe, Transcaucasia and Central Asia," the Russian ministry said in the draft agreement.

It also contains an article concerning the non-deployment of intermediate and shorter-range missiles in locations from where they can hit the territory of other parties to the agreement, as well as the need to limit military exercises "above the brigade level in a band of agreed width and configuration on each side."

It is specified that in case any "problem situations," Russia and NATO should use the mechanisms of urgent consultations on a bilateral and multilateral basis.

The draft agreement is posted on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.