Kiev has called for a meeting within 48 hours with representatives of Russia and all member states of the Vienna Document, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said on Twitter.
“Russia did not respond to our request under the Vienna Document. We are taking the next step, “Kuleba wrote. According to him, the meeting will be about “the increased presence and movement of Russian troops on our border and in the temporarily occupied Crimea.”
“If Russia takes seriously its words about the indivisibility of security in the OSCE area, it must fulfill its obligations of military transparency in order to reduce tensions and increase security for all participating countries,” the Ukrainian foreign minister wrote.
The OSCE Vienna Document was adopted in 2011 to strengthen security and trust between the countries. As part of its agreements, OSCE participating States exchange information on military forces, military budgets and defense plans each year. The document provides for consultations on “unusual military activities” and dangerous incidents.
On February 11, Ukraine asked Russia for “detailed explanations on military activities” near Ukraine’s borders, and Ukrainian authorities gave 48 hours to respond. Russia has not officially responded to this request. Moscow considers Kiev’s request unreasonable as the activity is not unusual and does not give grounds for launching a mechanism to reduce the military threat under the Vienna Document.
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