Hundreds of Russian troops, including special forces, remain inside Ukraine and Moscow still has around 20,000 soldiers near the Ukrainian border, a NATO military spokesman said on Thursday.
We remain deeply concerned by the intensifying violence in eastern Ukraine. Russian military forces and equipment are still in Ukraine, and the Russia-Ukraine border is still unsecured.
10.7. in the Russian Federation, the deterioration of the respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms, its illegal annexation of Crimea, in violation of international law, the Statute of the Council of Europe (ETS No. 1) and accession commitments, its covert support given to the armed insurgents in eastern Ukraine, including reports of direct military intervention in the conflict, as well as its interference in, and pressure exerted on, several neighbouring countries in clear contradiction to its accession commitments;
At the press conference Stoltenberg also promised full support to Ukraine.
He said: “A ceasefire in Ukraine is a possibility. But Russia maintains its desire to destabilize Ukraine and continues to act in conflict with international law.”
