Lavrov calls for new security meeting with Nordics, Baltics

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed on Friday reviving nine-way security talks with the five Nordic and three Baltic states to address security issues in the region.

"We have repeatedly proposed to our Swedish colleagues to take measures to facilitate a dialogue on regional stability and security in the Baltic region. We propose returning to a format that was used at some stage -- of five Nordics, three Baltics and Russia," he said.

Lavrov made the proposals at a press conference in Moscow after meeting Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, the current chairperson-in-office at the European security organization OSCE.

Sweden and Finland are NATO partner countries, while the rest of the Nordic countries -- Denmark, Iceland, and Norway as well as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are full member states. Tensions between Russia and the alliance rose last month after NATO expelled eight Russian diplomats from its Brussels office. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )