Kremlin denies Romania's claim Russia demanded withdrawal of NATO troops from Europe

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Kremlin spokesman on Friday denied Romanian claims that Russia had demanded the withdrawal of NATO troops from its eastern flank, particularly from countries that joined the alliance after 1997, including Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Dmitry Peskov reaffirmed Russia’s concerns over NATO’s eastward expansion but insisted that no such demands had been made.

Cristian Diaconescu, the Romanian president’s chief of staff and adviser on defense and national security, claimed on Wednesday that Russia had put forward this proposal during a meeting with American officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, and that the US delegation had rejected it.

Asked whether Russia had made such a demand, Peskov responded: ‘No, that’s not true, it does not correspond to reality.’

He further clarified Russia's stance on the issue: "Our position on NATO’s military infrastructure advancing toward our borders -- through several, and soon almost a dozen, waves of expansion -- is well known. It is no secret to anyone that this causes us concern."