Following the transmission of the US and NATO response to the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding the security guarantees requested by the Russian side, the NATO Secretary General, during a press conference in Brussels, suggested that Russia should withdraw its troops from Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.

The NATO Secretary General suggested that Russia should do so “in the short term“, noting that their presence increases tension in Eastern Europe, as defencenet. ru reports.

According to Stoltenberg, Russia “must withdraw its troops from Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova as soon as possible“.

“This will be an important step forward in the process of de-escalation,” said the Secretary General of the Alliance.

This proposal resembles an example of NATO ignoring Russia‘s basic proposals, making contrary demands in return.

Moscow commented on Stoltenberg‘s statement, clarifying that there are no Russian troops in Georgia and Ukraine.

The Russian side recalled: Abkhazia and South Ossetia are not parts of Georgia and the Crimean peninsula is part of the Russian Federation.

“First, Abkhazia and South Ossetia are no longer Georgia, the people who lived there wanted to secede, as the Kosovars once did,” Senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Telegram.

The MEP noted that Moldova is not a member of NATO, but the Russian Federation peacekeeping contingent, which is in the country to ensure security in Dniester, in particular Russian citizens, and has been sent there under a multilateral agreement to which the North Atlantic Alliance has no connection.

Pushkov noted that Russian forces are making efforts to prevent a military conflict in Transnistria, as Moldova cannot do it on its own.

“And in Ukraine there are no Russian troops at all,” the Russian senator stressed.

Pushkov advised Stoltenberg to “start with yourself” and “start with the withdrawal of US and Turkish troops from Syria, as well as from Kosovo“.

“So far, it is difficult to take his statements seriously,” Alexey Pushkov added.