- Title: Turn back to diplomacy - NATO and France tell Russia
- Date: 10th December 2021
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (DECEMBER 10, 2021) (REUTERS) REPUBLICAN GUARD STANDING OUTSIDE FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JENS STOLTENBERG ARRIVING, GREETING FRENCH DEFENCE MINISTER FLORENCE PARLY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER JEAN-YVES LE DRIAN AT ENTRANCE OF FOREIGN MINISTRY/ THE THREE POSING FOR PHOTO STOLTENBERG, LE DRIAN AND PARLY IN ROUNDTABLE MEETING STOLT
- Embargoed: 24th December 2021 12:43
- Keywords: Le Drian NATO Russia Stoltenberg Ukraine alliance defence military military capabilities strategic
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,International/National Security
- Reuters ID: LVA001F7GH0EF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The crisis in Ukraine can only be solved through diplomacy and Russia must do its utmost to reduce tensions, NATO and French officials said on Friday (December 10), warning of serious consequences if Moscow were to launch a military intervention in Ukraine.
Russia has amassed troops on its border with Ukraine, where Kremlin-backed rebels have been fighting the Kyiv government, raising fears that it might be preparing to invade.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied he intends to attack Ukraine, but he has bridled against what he sees as NATO's eastward expansion and the deployment of military hardware close to its border.
"Russia must de-escalate, respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity (and) return to diplomacy," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Paris.
Speaking alongside French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defence Minister Florence Parly, he said the alliance stood by its position supporting Ukraine's bid to join NATO.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday (December 9) promised Central European NATO members more military support as concern grows over a Russian troop build-up on the border with Ukraine, Lithuania's presidential advisor Asta Skaisgiryte said.
"Any violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity of Ukraine would have massive strategic consequences," Le Drian told the news conference.
On defence strategy, Stoltenberg said Europe has no need for new structures, a day after French President Emmanuel Macron called for a rethink of EU defense.
Macron said in a speech on Thursday outlining France's priorities as it takes over the presidency of the European Council, that the EU needed to define a new defense strategy that would strengthen its ability to defend itself, even though the transatlantic NATO alliance remained useful and effective.
"What we need is more capabilities, and not new structures competing for the same capabilities," Stoltenberg said in Paris.
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