Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has spoken about the serious risks associated with the creation of military blocs in the Asia-Pacific region, warning that such steps could lead to an escalation of confrontation and its transition to a "hot phase." The head of Russian diplomacy said this at a press conference following the East Asian Summit.

Lavrov commented on Japan's proposal to create a NATO-like military alliance in Asia, noting that it poses a threat to stability in the region. According to him, Moscow is concerned about Western attempts to increase the militarization of the Asia-Pacific region and use regional structures such as ASEAN against Russia and China.