Deputy Secretary General of NATO: Russia violates the commitments undertaken in the early 90s

NATO stressed that by its actions on the territory of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova Russia violates the commitments undertaken in the early 1990s, said the Deputy Secretary General of NATO Alexander Vershbow during a video conference during the 8th Kyiv Security Forum organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

 “Russian aggression is only one component of t destabilization line that Russia demonstrates today in violation of the obligations it has undertaken in the early 90's. Let us recollect the events in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Russia has troops in Moldova as well, though it promised to withdraw them from there in 1999,” – he said.

“It does everything possible to prevent its neighbors from following their own way. This is relevant in case of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. They believe that these countries should belong to the privileged zone of influence of Russia,” – added Alexander Vershbow.

At the same time he stressed that the Alliance will never recognize annexation of the Crimea

“By supporting separatists with armaments, including heavy weapons, its military units, training them, Russia wants to bring the war to the territory of Ukraine,” – said the Deputy Secretary General, recalling that the death toll is already more than 6 thousand people killed in the aftermath of the conflict in Ukraine.

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The annual international event ‘Kyiv Security Forum’, established by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007 is aplatform to discuss the most pressing issues concerning the security in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum is aimed at promoting security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea Region, raising awareness of the development of security among key players and strengthening the role of independent and non-governmental actors in solving security problems in Europe.