Eurasia Press & News
Foreign ministers of NATO member states and Ukraine condemned Tuesday Russia’s military build-up in Crimea and its alleged deliberate destabilization efforts in eastern Ukraine.
”We condemn Russia’s military build-up in Crimea, as well as the worsening human rights situation on the Crimean peninsula,” an official statement said.
”We call on Russia to reverse its illegal and illegitimate self-declared annexation of Crimea, which we do not and will not recognize, and to respect the rights of the local population, including the native Crimean Tatars,” the statement added.
The 28 foreign ministers of NATO member countries made the condemnation after meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels Tuesday.
NATO also said pro-Russian separatists repeatedly violated the ceasefire under the Sept.5 Minsk Agreement.
The Minsk Agreement was signed between representatives of Russia and Ukraine in the Belarusian capital of Minsk to broker a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.
The alliance accuses Russia of providing pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine with tanks, advanced air defense systems and other heavy weapons – allegations that Russia denies.
”We strongly condemn Russia’s continued and deliberate destabilization of eastern Ukraine,” the statement added.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe warned in early November of escalating violence in eastern Ukraine, of which large parts are controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
