Russia must immediately stop building up troops on the border with Ukraine and withdraw from Eastern Ukraine. NATO chief Stoltenberg made this appeal after a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Koeleba. The NATO chief has spoken of the largest Russian military presence on the border since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
According to Ukraine, the Kremlin is trying to escalate the conflict in eastern Ukraine, including intimidation through troop building at the border and the use of propaganda through Russian channels in the country. Koeleba calls on the West to impose more sanctions against Russia and to provide military aid.
The country would like to join NATO , but according to the United States, the country is not ready for that yet, as Kiev must first implement a number of important reforms. Territorial stability is also usually a prerequisite for membership of the military alliance.
According to NATO chief Stoltenberg, Russia is trying to disrupt the accession process by stirring up the conflict in eastern Ukraine. “It is up to the thirty NATO member states to decide on Ukraine’s accession, and no one else,” said the Norwegian concerned. Tomorrow, the situation in Ukraine will be discussed at a digital NATO conference, Reuters news agency reports, based on diplomatic sources.
Yesterday, Moscow called on the US to stay out of the region, because Ukraine’s military presence will turn Ukraine into a dangerous ‘powder keg’. At the moment the Americans are present in the Black Sea with some warships.
In addition, during a visit to Germany this morning, the US Secretary of Defense Austin announced that he would end the withdrawal of US military personnel from Germany, which was initiated under former President Trump. The Pentagon will just transfer 500 more troops to the base in Germany.
