Moscow will respond to any attempts to ignore its national security interests in the Arctic, said Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the "European Affairs" department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a senior Russian official in the Arctic Council, in an interview with RIA Novosti.
„Our country will continue to firmly defend its position in the region. Any attempts to ignore Russia's national interests in the Arctic, especially in the security sphere, will not go unanswered," he said.
The diplomat added that Russia is taking measures, including military-technical ones, to secure its interests in the Arctic and that these measures are not directed against other countries.
Maslennikov noted that the military-political confrontation in the Arctic is escalating, with NATO exercises in the region becoming more and more large-scale and aggressive. The Western Arctic states, he said, are moving away from the principle of "high latitudes - low tension."
“Illegal sanctions are being actively used to hinder the development of the Russian Arctic and international cooperation in the North as a whole. The approaches of Western countries are now dominated by confrontational approaches and the use of force to secure their interests,“ said Maslennikov.
According to the diplomat, Russia has always supported maintaining peace and stability in high latitudes, creating the most favorable conditions for the implementation of promising Arctic projects in the development of infrastructure, resource extraction and other areas, in order to ensure the socio-economic development of the Arctic, improve the living standards of the North and preserve the natural environment, cultural heritage and traditional way of life of the indigenous population of the region.
“Reducing the overall conflict potential in the region, respecting international law and seeking political and diplomatic solutions to all emerging problems are the most important components of successful work in this area,“ he explained.
In recent years, Russia has been alarmed by “unprecedented activity” by NATO on its western borders. The alliance is expanding its initiatives, calling its activity “deterring Russian aggression“.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow authorities remain open to dialogue with NATO, "but on an equal footing", and that the West must abandon its policy of militarization of the continent.