The G-7 countries have asked Russia to stop its “provocations” on the border with Ukraine. In a joint statement with the EU foreign affairs representative, the G7 foreign ministers called on the Kremlin to „immediately de-escalate tensions in accordance with its international obligations.“ In recent weeks, Russia had greatly increased its military presence on the border with eastern Ukraine.
These troop movements without notice posed a threat and a destabilizing factor, said the ministers of Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, Great Britain and the USA. Russia must adhere to its international „commitments it has entered into with regard to the transparency of military movements“.
Kiev accuses the neighboring country of having concentrated more than 80,000 soldiers on its northern and eastern borders and on the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which has been annexed by Moscow. Russia did not deny the troop movements, but stressed that these were internal affairs and that no one should be threatened.
