According to Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, NATO's expansion to Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova is a matter of life and death for Russia.

Peskov told Rossiya 1 about the issue: "Of course, for us, this is, well, essentially a matter of life and death already, " talking about NATO's extension to include nations like Ukraine and other former Soviet Union members.

The Kremlin spokesperson stated, "The equipment is beginning to make its way into Ukraine, military instructors are coming there, there are several thousand of them already," adding that "NATO is gradually making its way into Ukraine and then, the only thing left will be to make it official."

When asked if a military escalation could be hazardous to Ukraine's statehood, Peskov responded "undoubtedly," adding that "this is something President Putin talked about on multiple occasions and this is something that Kiev knows perfectly well and Washington knows perfectly well."

Russia released its proposals for security agreements with the US and NATO earlier this month. The draft documents included a proposal to avoid deploying intermediate- and short-range missiles in areas where they could endanger either party to the agreement, as well as other measures.

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Lavrov: US approach toward Russia creates a toxic atmosphere

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on December 24 that the US unfriendly approach toward Russia creates a toxic atmosphere and prevents the creation of peaceful contact between the two countries. 

In an interview for Oslobođenje newspaper, Lavrov pointed out that Moscow's interactions with Washington have led to unfavorable scenarios, revealing that there have been many tensions between the two.

The Russian FM accused the US of being "overtly antagonistic" as it continues to impose sanctions, be hostile, and "make baseless charges against Russia."

Putin: Russia will not be part of the conflict in the Donbas region

During his annual press conference, Putin stressed, on December 23, that Russia is ready to work with Ukrainian sides who are looking to build good-neighborly relations with Moscow.

On his part, the Russian President said Russia will not be part of the conflict in the Donbas region.

It is worth noting that the Minsk Agreement is an agreement to stop the war in the Donbas region, signed by Ukraine, Russia, the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on September 5, 2014.