(MENAFN) Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko asserted on Tuesday that both NATO and the European Union are actively getting ready for a possible military encounter with Russia.

His remarks were made during a press conference held in the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, located in Moscow.

During the briefing, the official emphasized that he had engaged in "a very important and profound discussion on a very serious issue."

According to Grushko, the primary subject of the discussion revolved around "war and peace," particularly focusing on the present-day security environment and the military build-up taking place among NATO and EU member nations.

He claimed that these Western alliances are intentionally gearing up for a confrontation with the Russian Federation.

The deputy minister also voiced strong disapproval of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), criticizing it for not doing enough to de-escalate growing hostilities.

He cautioned that the international body is on the verge of becoming irrelevant in global diplomacy.

"Member states of the OSCE will continue to lose interest in this organization, which will remain on the path of marginalization, ultimately ending up completely outside mainstream political processes. And then its fate will be unenviable," he warned.

When prompted to respond to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot’s remarks about the EU getting ready to enforce the most stringent set of sanctions against Russia, Grushko asserted that Moscow has adapted and developed ways to withstand such punitive measures.

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