NATO’s confrontation policy against Russia may lead to an arms race, which will be very hard to deter, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated during Monday’s expert discussion "Future of NATO and Russia’s Interests" of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

"Today, we must understand clearly that if NATO goes back to these roots, if it prioritizes Russia’s containment in its military activity, then it virtually brings, or attempts to bring, Europe to the times of the Cold War," the senior diplomat noted.

According to him, the alliance’s policy may lead to "an extremely complicated situation, an arms race, which will be very hard to overcome even if there is a political will and corresponding conditions."

"Currently, it is clear to us that the relations between Russia and NATO cannot go back to normal if NATO does not abandon its current confrontation policy," Grushko stated.