NATO will send a written proposal to the Kremlin later this week to try to "find a way forward" after rising tensions over the buildup of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine.
This was said by the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, in an interview for CNN.
"We will emphasize that we are ready to sit down to discuss arms control, disarmament, transparency regarding military activities, risk reduction mechanisms and other issues that are important for European security. We will also sit down and listen to the concerns of the Russians," Stoltenberg said.
NATO's chief said last week that the Western military alliance would soon send written proposals to Russia, responding to Moscow's demands for security.
Stoltenberg's comments come a day after NATO announced that some member states are putting their forces on alert and sending warships and warplanes to Eastern Europe.
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Stoltenberg calls on Russia to stop preparations for war
The move has signaled growing fears of a possible invasion of Ukraine by Russia, after months of military maneuvers by Moscow that have raised tensions.
Speaking from Brussels, Stoltenberg said that "there is still a diplomatic way" to get out of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, "but he demands that Russia de-escalate and be ready to engage in political talks with NATO and its allies NATO".
Russia deployed tens of thousands of troops near the border with Ukraine last year, and is sending forces to neighboring Belarus next month for joint exercises that Ukrainian officials fear could serve as a kind of theater from which to launch the attack. .
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied that it is planning an attack on Ukraine, but has said that NATO's support for Ukraine poses a growing danger to Russia's western flank.
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NATO will not send troops to Ukraine in the event of Russian occupation
"NATO will not send military troops to Ukraine, but it must be sure that there is no misunderstanding about our readiness, our commitment is to protect all allies, especially in the eastern part of the alliance," Stoltenberg said, explained the reason why the alliance has increased its presence in Eastern Europe, the Black Sea and the Baltic.
Stoltenberg told CNN that NATO is considering whether to increase its position further.
