16 European countries, including Bulgaria, will seek a new agreement with Russia on arms control, reported Reuters.

“European security is in danger,” stated German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “We need to have more conversations with Russia, not less,  no matter how complicated our relations are at the moment.”

The Social Democrat Steinmeier, who will probably become the new president of Germany, called for a deal on arms control as early as August.

By September, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Finland, Holland, Norway, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia and Portugal had joined his initiative as members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

It is expected that the group will issue a common statement on Friday and discuss the topic at the meeting of OSCE ministers in Hamburg on December 8 and 9.

Steinmeier condemns the annexation of the Crimea and Moscow’s support for the separatists in Eastern Ukraine. He, however, was criticised by the USA and NATO after stating that military maneuvers in Eastern Europe could lead to deterioration in relations with Russia.