"We consider attempts to bypass the principles of the [Russia-NATO] Founding Act as dangerous and contrary to the genuine interests of the NATO member states themselves," the ministry said in a statement.
Moscow sees the circumvention as "the alliance's desire to legitimize military preparations near the Russian borders, which — in conjunction with the military activity of individual bloc countries — change the alignment of forces in Europe and lead to a dangerous spiral of an arms race.
Moreover, Russia calls on the bloc to abandon attempts to develop ties with Moscow in the spirit of confrontation before it is too late.
"Before it is too late, it is necessary to abandon attempts to build relations with our country in the spirit of schemes and mechanisms of the era of confrontation," the ministry said in a statement.
It affirmed that Russia-NATO relations — "in the deepest crisis since the end of the Cold War" — are not Russia's choice.
"This is a direct result of the long-term destructive line of the bloc aimed at recklessly achieving military and political domination in European and world affairs," the ministry said.
According to the statement, relations between Russia and the military alliance are "at the deepest crisis since the end of the Cold War" and NATO's intention to justify its existence via exaggerating the "threat from the East" hinder unification of the states' efforts in the anti-terror struggle.
