NATO secretary general not confirming withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian border

14:54, 01.04.2014 1 min read

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has not confirmed the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian border and urged Moscow to begin a de-escalation of the situation.

"Unfortunately, I cannot confirm that Russia is withdrawing its troops. This is not what we are seeing. This massive military build-up can in no way contribute to a de-escalation of the situation," he told journalists in Brussels ahead of talks by the alliance's foreign ministers to be held in Brussels on April 1-2.

Rasmussen again urged Russia to withdraw its troops, fulfill its international obligations and start a constructive dialogue with the Ukrainian side.