MOSCOW, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The aggression of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is primarily directed against Russia, with its ambitions continuing to expand, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

Speaking to Sputnik radio, Zakharova said NATO's actions in recent years have increasingly broadened in scope, extending beyond Russia's western flank to include southern regions and even the Far East.

She added that NATO is also seeking to extend its influence globally, including into the Asia-Pacific region, through proxy means.

Zakharova noted that the alliance shows little interest in normalizing relations or stabilizing the situation in the European part of Eurasia. Instead, she said, NATO's primary objective is to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia.

She noted that previous attempts to establish dialogue mechanisms and reduce risks between Russia and NATO had not been reciprocated by the alliance. ■