Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking at the 43rd Munich Security Policy Conference at the Bayrischer Hof Hotel. File photoMOSCOW, Feb 12Russian President Vladimir Putin in Munich raised the issue of bringing NATO closer to the Russian borders, he has not yet been answered, and now the country is directly at the «red lines» of its national and security interests, spokesman for the head of state Dmitry Peskov told RIA Novosti. February 10 marks 15 years since Putin delivered his famous speech at the Munich Security Conference. He harshly criticized US foreign policy and the idea of a unipolar world order, spoke out sharply against plans to expand the North Atlantic Alliance and deploy American missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe. «Putin wondered why NATO is approaching our borders with its military infrastructure. This question, how do you you see, it is at the forefront of the foreign policy agenda today. And so far no one has answered this question,» Peskov said. in Germany is the best guarantee of security for the new Russia.The demonization of Putin turned against the West «They did not listen then, but such a cumulative effect of this expansion accumulated, matured and led to the fact that, in fact, as our president now says, Russia is directly at the «red lines» of its national and security interests,» Peskov concluded. The issue of NATO’s non-expansion to the east again came into focus after Russia published draft treaties with the United States and NATO agreements on security guarantees at the end of 2021. Moscow, in particular, demanded from its Western partners legal guarantees of refusing further eastward expansion of NATO, joining the Ukrainian bloc, and establishing military bases in post-Soviet countries. However, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, it was precisely these questions that the Western partners ignored in their written response. The Munich Conference was founded in 1963 as a «meeting of representatives of the defense departments» of NATO member countries. Now it is an international discussion forum for politicians, diplomats, military, businessmen, scientists and public figures from dozens of countries. The conference is traditionally held in the Bayerischer Hof hotel in the historic center of the Bavarian capital. Munich does not sign the final communiqués and agreements, while the conference is an important and relatively neutral meeting place and discussion for world-class politicians and diplomats. Putin explained why a war between Russia and NATO could start
