Russia urges NATO to improve relations

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday called on NATO to stop confrontation and seek better relations with Moscow.

Russia-NATO relations are "in the deepest crisis since the end of the Cold War," said the ministry in a statement, reports the Xinhua.

It stated that the military alliance has unilaterally frozen projects of practical cooperation on European security.

The ministry said the deployment of NATO hardware and personnel close to Russia's borders dilutes the provisions of the Founding Act and leads to a dangerous round of arms race.

"Growing negative trends are not Russia's choice. This is a direct result of the long-term destructive policy of the bloc aimed at recklessly achieving military and political domination in European and world affairs," the statement said.

NATO decided to freeze relations with Russia in April 2014 over the latter's incorporation of Crimea and its alleged role in the Ukrainian crisis.

Both sides said they have continued to keep channels for political dialogue open.