NATO will continue its policy of pressuring Moscow to implement agreements in Ukraine
The Deputy Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Alexander Vershbow, stated that NATO intends to keep pressure on Moscow until it begins to implement previously undertaken obligations on the Ukrainian issue, European Pravda reported. According to Vershbow, the security situation in the Euro-Atlantic region has significantly deteriorated due to annexation of the Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the subsequent participation of Russian servicemen in the Donbas.
Meanwhile, according to Vershbow, the OSCE platform which provides access for OSCE SMM observers to the Ukrainian-Russian border remains the most effective tool for the de-escalation of the situation in eastern Ukraine. The Deputy Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization called on Russia to enhance its cooperation with the NATO members in accordance with the Vienna Agreement. Earlier, Vershbow called Russia’s aggressive actions and terrorism two of the main threats in the modern world.
“We face two different but important and long-term threats: threat posed by Russia and threats posed by terrorism and extremism. These challenges have changed our view on security and they will remain with us for many years,” Alexander Vershbow noted.
“We will do all in our power to maintain defenses as long as Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine and tries to intimidate NATO allies and partners,” the Deputy Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization added.