Berlin | The German Defense Minister on Wednesday accused Russia of provocations in the Ukrainian dossier, shortly before a meeting with her NATO counterparts and as the situation on the ground escalates.
“My impression is that the Russian side is doing everything to provoke reactions,” Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said on the state television channel ARD, adding that “with Ukraine we do not want to get drawn into this field”.
Moscow has massed tens of thousands of soldiers on the borders of this former Soviet republic which aspires to join NATO.
At the same time, violence has resumed since the beginning of the year in the conflict in eastern Ukraine between Kiev forces and pro-Russian separatists.
“If things are as claimed by the Russian side, that it is a question of maneuvers, then there are international rules planned for this in order to guarantee transparency and confidence”, underlined the German minister, a close friend of the Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“We are committed alongside Ukraine, things are clear,” she said.
At the same time, it is also obvious that the Russian president “is only waiting for a step (from Ukraine) towards NATO to use it as an argument to act further”, a- she said of the risks of direct conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
The Minister stressed that the situation was being monitored “with concern”. “We will do everything to ensure that things do not degenerate,” she added, saluting Kiev for its reaction so far “measured”.