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NATO says it has seen no signs of withdrawal from Russia, despite Moscow’s insistence that it has no plans to attack Ukraine. Meanwhile, the EU warns of the consequences that a Russian aggression would have not only on Ukraine but also on European countries. Western alliances continue to warn Russia of dire consequences if it attacks Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting of alliance defense ministers on Wednesday that he had seen no signs of a withdrawal from Russia.
“So far we have not seen any escalation on the ground. “On the contrary, it seems that Russia is continuing its military focus.”
Mr Stoltenberg said NATO continued to face a “critical challenge”.
“We will continue to expose Russia’s plans and actions to make it more difficult to take aggressive action against Ukraine,” he said.
Mr Stoltenberg also reiterated that it was not up to Russia to decide which countries would become members of NATO.
“We are dealing with respecting the right of every country in Europe to choose for itself whether it will belong to an organization like NATO or not,” he said.
Russia said Wednesday it was returning more troops and weapons to bases, although there were no concrete signs of a significant withdrawal of forces.
Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, European Council President Charles Michel called on Russia to show concrete action by easing tensions on the ground.
“If there is to be military aggression against Ukraine, the cost to Russia must be heavy. The consequences must be massive. “But we have to be honest with each other: The consequences for us Europeans will also be severe, and if that happens, we must be ready to face that responsibility.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the idea of spheres of influence was a ghost of the last century and that the current crisis “is not just about Ukraine”.
“It also has to do with the concept of sovereignty, independence and freedom of a country in the 21st century. It is about the right to live free from fear and the right of every country to determine its own future. “And this is the message that the EU must send to the Kremlin.”
Russia, meanwhile, has insisted it has no plans to attack Ukraine, and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was “surprised” by fears of the West.
“The West thinks it has the right to dictate to us how we should behave, what to do in our territory. “This shows a fundamental lack of recognition,” Mr Lavrov told reporters during a joint news conference with his Brazilian counterpart Carlos Alberto França.
He said the Russian government and parliament would not “remain indifferent” to the West’s actions.
Russia has amassed about 150,000 troops in eastern, northern and southern Ukraine, raising fears of a possible Russian.voa attack.
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