The G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and the High Representative of the European Union have expressed deep concern about the large ongoing build-up of Russian military forces on Ukraine's borders and in illegally-annexed Crimea.

"These large-scale troop movements, without prior notification, represent threatening and destabilizing activities," G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU High Representative said in a statement about the situation near Ukraine's borders and illegally annexed Crimea, released on the website of the EU Delegation to Ukraine on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the officials call on Russia "to cease its provocations and to immediately de-escalate tensions in line with its international obligations." "In particular, we call on Russia to uphold the OSCE principles and commitments that it has signed up to on transparency of military movements and to respond to the procedure established under Chapter III of the Vienna Document," the officials said in the document.

The G7 Ambassadors and the EU High Representative also expressed support for Ukraine's actions in the current situation. "Recalling our last statement of 18 March, we reaffirm our unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. We support Ukraine's posture of restraint," they said in the statement.

The diplomats expressed gratitude and support to the efforts of France and Germany through the Normandy Process to secure the full implementation of the Minsk agreements, "which is the only way forward for a lasting political solution to the conflict," and called on all sides to engage constructively in the Trilateral Contact Group on the OSCE's proposals to confirm and consolidate the ceasefire.