Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Russia has “run out of patience”, and it will not wait indefinitely for NATO to respond to its demands. He added, “The West has been driven by hubris and has exacerbated tensions in violation of its obligations and common sense.”

The demands that Russia put forward were heavily criticized in the West, and the talks failed to bring any resolution to the concerns of both parties. However, Russia is keen to push NATO towards promising that it will not expand eastwards.

NATO has earlier refused Russian demands voicing concerns over Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border. The now rejected demands would have reduced NATO’s influence over post-Soviet states. The demands also urged NATO to abandon all military activities in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus region, and Central Asia. Moreover, Russia also demanded a guarantee from NATO that it would not allow Ukraine to join NATO in the future.

Russia had also asked NATO not to deploy additional troops and weapons outside the countries in which they were in May 1997, except in exceptional cases with the consent of Russia and other NATO members. NATO was also asked not to deploy intermediate and shorter-range missiles where they can hit the other side’s territory.