BERLIN — As NATO leaders sought additional aircraft Friday to oppose the forces of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in Libya, Russia warned the alliance not to use too much military force there.

The Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, said it was crucial not to use “excessive military force which will lead to further additional casualties among civilians.”

“We believe it is important to urgently transfer things into the political course and proceed with a political and diplomatic settlement,” he said at a news conference at the end of a two-day meeting here of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s foreign ministers.

Russia has strongly opposed the NATO mission in Libya from the start, getting support from Brazil, China and India.