NATO is moving its military infrastructure closer to the Russian border and Russia needs to strengthen its own infrastructure in response, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
He spoke at a news conference after talks with Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto.
Putin also said NATO was refusing to discuss rules for military flights with Russia.
Referring a joint meeting with Trump, Putin also said, "A summit with U.S. President Donald Trump was useful but U.S. sanctions against Moscow are counter-productive and pointless".
Putin also stated Europe needed the Moscow-led Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project and that Russia was the most suitable supplier of energy for Europe.
He was speaking at a news conference after talks with Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto in the Black Sea city of Sochi.
