Russia alarmed that NATO is helping to train Ukrainian soldiers
Ukrainian soldiers who have been trained by foreign instructors are a concern for Russia. The country, while at a Russia-NATO Council meeting, declared that the Alliance’s aid to Ukraine is “helping revanchism”. According to RIA Novosti, this was stated by Russia's Permanent Representative to NATO, Alexander Grushko.
“It has been pointed out that by providing political and military support to Kiev, NATO countries are actually playing along with the 'party of war' in Kiev. This results in the encouragement of revanchist aspirations. We are particularly concerned that units of the Ukrainian armed forces, who are being deployed to the conflict zone, have been trained by teachers and instructors from the US, Canada and other countries,” Grushko said.
He also said that Russia has warned the Alliance of the negative consequences of its military activity in the Black Sea region.
“We have discussed this issue and said that we believe that any increase in NATO’s military activity in the Black Sea region will destabilize the situation and will not improve security in the region,” Grushko concluded.
NATO has approved a comprehensive package of assistance to Ukraine after a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Warsaw on Saturday. This package includes new support measures for Kiev and it also condemns Russia’s military presence in Crimea.