Moscow: Ukrainian Crisis Became Excuse for NATO’s Eastward Expansion Nurtured for Years

"The summit adopted a line towards NATO’s eastward expansion and build-up of its presence near Russia’s borders. These plans were nurtured for a long time and the Ukrainian crisis became merely an excuse for the start of their implementation,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry stressed that the results of the summit demonstrate the alliance’s strive to dominate militarily diminishes its role in solving real threats including terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

"The results of the summit have graphically demonstrated that NATO, whose policy is dictated by the United States and hawks in some European capitals, has been striving for military domination in Europe in violation of the agreements on the importance of a system of equitable and indivisible security for the Euro-Atlantic region, that have been reaffirmed numerously at all levels,” the statement reads.

"The efforts of the international community to counter the real threats and challenges of our time, such as terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, drug trafficking, piracy, and natural and man-made disasters are being sacrificed in this process.”

Moscow said it would analyze in detail the decisions of the summit, and will review them to see if they "correspond with the provisions of the 1997 Russia-NATO Founding Act and other fundamental agreements on European security.”

NATO summit in Wales concluded Friday afternoon with the alliance’s members making strong statements about plans to improve military readiness, responsiveness, and commitments to Article 5 collective defense principles. There was also a decision for members to extend a 15 million euro fund to Ukraine for economic and military support. Allies were not able to agree on how to approach Russia in the coming period, though it was agreed that further sanctions against Russia would be underway some time in the future.

RIA Novosti