Ukraine’s probable membership in NATO poses “unacceptable threats” to Moscow, including the chance that missile defense systems may be put immediately on the Russian border, the country’s foreign minister said on Friday.

Speaking to Bosnian newspaper Oslobodjenje, Sergey Lavrov said that all parties need to limit the “degree of confrontation” produced by American officials and their work with their “Ukrainian protégés.”

“The policy of dragging Kiev into NATO with the prospect of missile strike systems appearing near our borders poses unacceptable threats to Russian security, provoking serious military risks for all parties involved, up to and including large-scale conflict in Europe,” he stated.

Lavrov’s statements to the Bosnian publication come as ties between Russia and the US-led military bloc remain at a crisis point.

The recent spike in hostilities followed rumors that Moscow is massing soldiers on the Ukrainian border, with some Western media sites believing an invasion is around the verge. NATO has frequently warned Russia that it is preparing a package of penalties enforced if any military action is initiated.

Earlier this week, during an enlarged meeting of the Ministry of Defense, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that if NATO infrastructure materialized in Ukraine, it would only take 7-10 minutes for a missile to reach Moscow, stressing that this was “a serious challenge for Russia.”

Last Friday, Moscow pitched a list of proposals to the US and NATO in the form of two draft treaties. The documents consist of a list of security guarantees, including a demand that NATO expands eastwards into states historically a part of the USSR. If ratified, it would also see troop movements near the Russian border be curtailed and prevent missiles from being installed close to the borders.