In his address at the conference, Sergei Ivanov stressed that in matters of European security, Russia is not looking for any advantages; it seeks only solid guarantee that the missile defence system in Europe will not undermine Russia's strategic potential and will protect against possible attacks coming only from the states outside the Euro-Atlantic area.
The Chief of Staff said that Russia does not accept a one-sided approach to missile defence and needs solid legal guarantees of security. Sergei Ivanov called the missile defence system a key element of global security and the most problematic issue in Russia's relations with the United States and NATO to date.
The Chief of Staff also said that the creation of an American missile defence system is still dominated by the logic of unilateral steps without considering the opinions and concerns of other states. According to Sergei Ivanov, an effective mechanism for arms control can be provided only by a legally binding international agreement based on equality and taking into account the interests of all countries.
The Chief of Staff read Vladimir Putin’s message of greetings to the conference participants. In particular, Sergei Ivanov noted that the Russian President believes that it is essential to focus the efforts of all states and the expert community on ensuring equal security and joint strategies to combat emerging threats and challenges in the Euro-Atlantic area.
The forum was also attended by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, the heads of defence agencies from European countries, the United States and Canada, and representatives of international organisations, including the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, the OSCE, NATO and the EU.
