NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday the alliance is "concerned that Russia is trying to stage a pretext for an armed attack against Ukraine" after Moscow warned it is "highly likely" Kiev will launch a military operation in Donbass. "There is still no clarity, no certainty about Russia’s intentions," he stated.
Stoltenberg added Russia's military buildup "appears to continue" and called on the country to do what it says and withdraw its forces from the borders of Ukraine." Earlier in the day, he assessed that "Russia has yet again demonstrated its disregard for the principles underpinning European security and its ability and willingness to threaten the use of force in pursuit of its objectives," cautioning that "this is the new normal which we need to be prepared for."
