{"id":44160,"date":"2021-11-15T19:54:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-15T19:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/11\/15\/nato-chief-signals-support-to-ukraine-amid-russian-troop-buildup\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:26:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:26:33","slug":"nato-chief-signals-support-to-ukraine-amid-russian-troop-buildup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2021\/11\/15\/nato-chief-signals-support-to-ukraine-amid-russian-troop-buildup\/","title":{"rendered":"NATO chief signals support to Ukraine amid Russian troop buildup"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2013 NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg<\/a> has assured Ukraine of the alliance\u2019s backing amid what he called an \u201cunusual concentration\u201d of Russian forces<\/a> in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at a press conference Nov. 15 in Brussels with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Stoltenberg said NATO members would continue to provide \u201csignificant political and practical support,\u201d including military training, to Ukraine as the standoff continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian officials fear the current military context could foreshadow a repeat of Russian moves that led to Moscow\u2019s annexation of Crimea in 2014. NATO and the European Union consider that claim to be in violation of international law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked about Russia\u2019s posture, Kuleba said Moscow\u2019s intentions are still hard to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is premature to say what exactly will … be the Russian scenario \u2014 whether the military build-up is the main plan, and it will be accompanied by efforts to destabilize Ukraine from the inside, or whether the military build-up will serve as a background force, as a background argument for destabilizing efforts undertaken by Russia domestically,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to be ready for all scenarios, for all options.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stoltenberg stopped short of warning of an outright invasion of Ukraine, calling on Russia to be transparent about its plans for the troops amassed near the border. Having so many troops at the ready puts Moscow in position to act quickly on any orders for actual \u201cmilitary aggression,\u201d leaving Ukraine and NATO with little warning time, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have to be clear-eyed, we need to be realistic about the challenges we face,\u201d Stoltenberg added. \u201cAnd what we see is significant, large Russian military build-up. We see an unusual concentration of troops. And we know that Russia has been willing to use these types of military capabilities before to conduct aggressive actions against Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview broadcasted Sunday he rejected a defense ministry proposal to hold snap Black Sea drills in response to what he called \u201cunplanned\u201d U.S. and NATO drills, saying \u201cthere is no need to further escalate the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t