US Pressures States To Back Out Of Moscow Security Conference - Russian Defense Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd April, 2019) The United States has been putting pressure on other countries to refrain from attending the Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS), which will be held in Russia this week, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said on Monday.

NATO representatives will not attend MCIS due to the past experiences with this event, an alliance official told Sputnik last week.

"Of course, one must admit that there is pressure, primarily from the United States. It is also directed at the allies - NATO countries and other European states, other countries of other regions, and this pressure has, unfortunately, yielded results," Fomin said in an interview with the RT broadcaster.

Despite the pressure, 16 Arab states have decided to attend the security conference, according to the deputy defense minister.

"As for the countries of NATO and other European states, unfortunately, they are taking part in a limited composition. Mostly they are representatives of the defense ministries of NATO countries and European states that are accredited in Moscow," Fomin added.

The annual Conference on International Security, organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense since 2012, will be held in Moscow on April 23-25 and will mainly focus on the crucial issues of the international security.