Paris, April 13, LETA – AFP. The G7 foreign ministers on Monday called on Russia to end “provocations” and “de-escalate tensions” in response to the concentration of Russian troops on Ukraine’s border.
Ministers issued a joint appeal the day before the NATO meeting in Brussels due to concerns about a possible sharp escalation of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
The G7 foreign ministers, most of whom are members of NATO, “are deeply concerned about the ongoing large-scale concentration of Russian military forces on Ukraine’s borders and in illegally annexed Crimea,” the ministerial statement said.
“These large-scale unannounced relocations are a threatening and destabilizing act,” ministers added.
“We call on Russia to end the provocations and immediately de-escalate tensions in line with its international obligations.”
The G7, which brings together the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany, also called on Russia to support international “principles and commitments to the transparency of the movement of forces”.
“We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. We support Ukraine’s position of restraint.”
Ukraine has accused Russia of concentrating thousands of troops on Ukraine’s northern and eastern borders, as well as on Russia’s annexed Crimea.
The Kremlin does not deny the transfer of its troops, but insists that it has no intention of endangering anyone.
The White House said this week that the number of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border is now the highest since 2014, when the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted following Russia’s annexation of the Crimea. 13,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict and almost three million have fled.
–
