BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov is criticizing Western policies toward his country, urging European countries to maintain good relations with Moscow despite the Russia-West divisions.

Lavrov said Wednesday during a visit to Slovenia that being a member of NATO or the European Union "does not mean it is necessary to avoid contacts with states that are not included in those international organizations," like Russia.

Lavrov visited EU member Slovenia before proceeding to Serbia, an EU hopeful that remains a rare ally of Moscow in the region where Russia wants to maintain its traditional influence.

In a joint opinion piece with Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, Lavrov wrote that policies of "'either with us or against us' have fueled mistrust and instability on the European continent."