People wearing face masks walk on a bridge in the Zaryadye park with a Kremlin’s tower and Russian Foreign Ministry building in the background in central Moscow on October 25, 2021. (Via AFP)

Moscow has protested to the US embassy in the country over dangerous maneuvers of American and NATO military aircraft and ships near Russian borders.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the US embassy had been given a note of protest over the dangerous maneuvers.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry wrote on social media that Moscow was calling for a dialogue on security guarantees and talks on finding ways to lower military and political tensions.

During a video call with US President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded guarantees against NATO expansion eastward.

Also on Wednesday, Putin stressed that NATO expansion is a very sensitive issue for Russia.

It is one of the key questions in preserving Russia’s security, the Russian leader said at a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, adding that Moscow had been warning the US-led military alliance against any expansion.

Putin also stated that his country has a peaceful foreign policy and reserves the right to defend its security.

Tensions have escalated between Washington and Moscow over a series of issues, including Ukraine and the Black Sea region.

The United States, its NATO allies and Ukraine have over the past weeks accused Moscow of enlarging the number of troops near Ukraine’s border for a possible invasion. Russia has dismissed the allegation, but has warned against any provocation from Ukraine.

Moscow says Washington is involved in aggressive moves in the Black Sea, where Ukraine and the United States have held military drills recently.

The Russian president has already warned the West and Kiev against crossing the Kremlin’s red lines over staging military exercises and sending weaponry to Ukraine.

In the latest sign of tensions in the Black Sea, Russian pilots escorted French Mirage-2000 and Rafale planes after stopping them from violating the Russian border on Wednesday.