NATO calls for de-escalation in Sea of Azov

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated this at a press briefing following the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

“What we saw yesterday [actions of Russia] was very serious… So, this is escalating the situation in the region and it confirms a pattern of behaviour that we have seen over several years, where Russia illegally annexed Crimea, continued to destabilise Eastern Ukraine, and now also use a military force in a very direct way, in the Sea of Azov or the Kerch Strait. So of course, this is serious.  That’s the reason why NATO Allies react as we do.  But at the same time, we need to work for de-escalation, for calm and restraint, because we have to avoid this situation coming out of control and becoming even more dangerous,” he said,

iy