Stoltenberg: The security situation in the Donbas is 'extremely serious'
The security situation in the eastern Ukraine is “extremely serious” due to the violations of the ceasefire including the use of heavy weapons, only 30% of which are able to be monitored at this time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated.
“The ceasefire is violated every day, sometimes hundreds of times, including bombings, using weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreements. This is because heavy weapons were not withdrawn. Only 30% of the equipment registered by the OSCE now can be monitored,” the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization stated on the eve of the Foreign Ministers meeting on 6-7 December which will take place at the Organization’s headquarters in Brussels.
As was stated by Stoltenberg, NATO is in the process of enhancing cooperation with Ukraine by providing political and practical support. The Secretary General emphasized the importance of continued reforms and combating corruption in Ukraine.
“I expect that Many NATO countries will focus on the importance of Ukraine's reforms and the modernization of the government agencies in Ukraine, in particular, their defense institutions,” Jens Stoltenberg noted.
On 7 December, a meeting between the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin, and Stoltenberg will take place as part of the NATO Ministers meeting program. On the same day, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Commission Ministers will take place, where the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs will update them on the status of the security situation in the Donbas.