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NATO calls on Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine’s border | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk (R) talks to a security personnel member on a military vehicle as he arrives to inspect the Ukrainian military grouping near Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine on May 7, 2014. (Reuters/Andrew Kravchenko)


Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk (R) talks to a security personnel member on a military vehicle as he arrives to inspect the Ukrainian military grouping near Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine on May 7, 2014. (Reuters/Andrew Kravchenko)

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk (R) talks to a security personnel member on a military vehicle as he arrives to inspect the Ukrainian military grouping near Slaviansk in eastern Ukraine on May 7, 2014. (Reuters/Andrew Kravchenko)

Warsaw, Reuters—NATO’s Secretary General Anders Rasmussen called on Russia on Wednesday to stop supporting separatists in Ukraine and scale back troops from Ukraine’s border to create a base for political solution to the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Speaking after a meeting with Polish foreign and defense ministers, Rasmussen said NATO was not able to confirm a withdrawal of Russian troops.

“Russia should live up to its international commitments and stop supporting separatists and scale back troops from the border, so political solutions can be found,” he told reporters in Warsaw.

Rasmussen added NATO will not hesitate to take all necessary steps to increase the security of its allies in central and eastern Europe, which may include reinforced exercises, reviewed defence plans and a proper deployment of troops.

Earlier in the day, the White House said that it has seen no evidence that President Vladimir Putin has pulled Russian troops back from the Ukrainian border, adding that it wants a referendum on secession to be canceled, not merely postponed.

“We would certainly welcome a meaningful and transparent withdrawal” of Russian military forces from the border region, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters traveling with President Barack Obama to Arkansas and California.

“To date, there has been no evidence that such a withdrawal has taken place,” Earnest said.

Earnest was responding to a question about an announcement by Putin that he had called on pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine to postpone a vote on secession just five days before it was to be held, and would pull back troops from the border.

“We’ve said repeatedly that the referendum is illegitimate, illegal. Secretary of State Kerry referred to this referendum as bogus. So we don’t believe this referendum should be postponed, we believe it should be canceled,” Earnest said.

The referendum had been planned by pro-Russian insurgents seeking autonomy and independence for portions of eastern Ukraine.