The G7 foreign ministers (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States) and the European Union’s high representative, Josep Borrell, expressed “deep concern” on Monday. Concerning the continued high concentration of Russian military forces on the border with Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula, “which were illegally annexed” in 2014.

“These large-scale movements of forces represent, without prior notice, threatening and destabilizing activities.”The heads of European diplomacy and the Group of Seven countries said in a joint statement.

They also appealed to Russia So that “he stops his provocations and eases tensions immediately.” According to its international obligations.

In particular, they asked the government of Vladimir Putin to respect the principles and obligations of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) it had signed regarding the transparency of military actions and the response to the actions stipulated in Chapter Three (Risks). Downgrade) The Vienna Document on Confidence and Security Building Measures.

The G7 ministers and the High Representative of the European Union recalled their last statement on March 18, which they reaffirmed Its firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders They support Ukraine’s “moderate” position.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dimitri KolibaOn Tuesday, he meets with the Secretary-General of NATO, Jens StoltenbergIn Brussels, a few days after telling the agency EFE The entry of your country into this alliance is the only strong guarantee of security in Europe, amid the tension with Russia.

For their part, the heads of European diplomacy and the G7 countries affirmed the “strong” recognition and “continuous support” of the efforts of France and Germany through the Normandy process to ensure the full implementation of the Minsk agreements, and that they are “the only” ones. The way forward for a lasting political solution to the conflict. “

Moreover, they urged all parties to Constructively participating in the Tripartite Contact Group on OSCE proposals To confirm and consolidate the ceasefire.

The Kremlin confirmed the previous day that “no one” intends to go to war with Ukraine, after that country condemned the increase in the Russian military presence on the borders and the increase in tension in Donbas, where the army has been facing Ukraine and Ukraine since 2014. Pro-Russian separatists.

A total of 26 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed by Russian-backed separatists in Donbas so far this year.Despite the ceasefire in effect in eastern Ukraine, the latest was a 24-year-old military man on Saturday.

On Saturday, Kiev requested a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to Russia to explain the increase in its military presence on the border with Ukraine, but Moscow refused to participate, according to diplomatic sources.

Ukraine, which fears the Kremlin will find an excuse to attack it, accuses Russia of this More than 80,000 soldiers are concentrated near its eastern border and in the Crimean peninsulaWhich was annexed by Moscow in 2014. According to the latest estimates, There are about 41 thousand Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine, Announced on Monday o’clock France Press agency Presidential spokeswoman Julia Mendel. In the Crimea, 9,000 soldiers were added recently to the 33,000 that already existhe added.

In the face of escalating fighting, the Ukrainian president said,Mr. Volodomir Zelensky, He requested a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on March 26, but has yet to receive a response, Mendel said.

In addition, Zelenskyy traveled days ago to the borders and visited the trenches.

Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russian separatist rebels, organized in the popular republics of Donetsk and Luhansk (not recognized by the international community), since 2014 when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea and began supporting separatists in the region. More than 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and attempts to reach a negotiated solution have so far failed..

With information from EFE and AFP

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