Russia expects significant progress from NATO in the fight against Afghan drug trafficking, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"The most important element in our practical relations with NATO is the need for real progress in fighting Afghan drugs trafficking," Lavrov said in an address to the Moscow State Institute for International Relations.

The drug problem has become a "real threat to the international security," Lavrov said, adding that it is directly connected with the financing of extremism and terrorism all over the world.

Afghan drug production has increased dramatically since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban in 2001.

Russia, which has suffered a steep rise in heroin abuse, has been one of the countries most affected by the increase in supply.

Russia and NATO military chiefs said in July they were ready to combine their efforts in combating international challenges to global security.

NATO froze ties with Russia following the August 2008 armed conflict with Georgia and the recognition by Moscow of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

However, Russia-NATO relations have improved over the past year as a result of the reset in relations between Moscow and Washington.

In late January, Russian and NATO chiefs of staff met in Brussels for the first time since relations improved. As a result of their talks, a framework military cooperation treaty was approved, which is seen as an important step toward the restoration of military ties between Russia and the alliance.

Russia has allowed land transit of non-lethal NATO supplies to Afghanistan and promised more assistance to the alliance's operations in Afghanistan by expanding transit, supplying helicopters and training Afghan security forces.

Russia has also been actively participating in international efforts to fight piracy along the Somali coast since October 2008.

MOSCOW, September 1 (RIA Novosti)