NATO officials on "EU army," Kiev's "peacekeepers" idea

NATO officials on "EU army," Kiev's "peacekeepers" idea

The NATO commander in Europe, U.S. General Philip Breedlove, told a joint press conference that the western military alliance is "not worried" because of Junker's idea of ​​a European army, and repeated that "duplication of capacities" should be avoided.

He said that EU member-states' armies should "complement, not overlap" one another.

The NATO officials also reacted with restraint to the request of the Ukrainian government to deploy international peacekeeping force under the auspices of the EU or the United Nations in eastern Ukraine, saying that it was now crucial to implement the agreement from Minsk.

"We support every effort to find a peaceful solution for Ukraine, including the ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons, but for now we do not see that both sides agreed to ask for peacekeepers," said Stoltenberg.

Both assessed that Russian troops and weapons are "still present in eastern Ukraine," but welcomed reports about withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front lines.

According to Breedlove, thee border between Russia and Ukraine is wide open and without supervision, making it impossible to know "what goes in, out, and where," but added that it was "good that heavy artillery was being withdrawn."

Commenting on the criticism coming from some German politicians that NATO was exaggerating the extent of Russia's involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Breedlove said that NATO'sa assessment was based on intelligence reports of member-states, and that when there are 33 reports from as many countries, it is "natural" they will not be identical.

Stoltenberg added that the debate within NATO was "helpful and not a sign of weakness," because it reflects "the democratic character of the alliance."

"As long as we are united in condemning the Russian aggression in Ukraine and support the search for a peaceful solution, we will remain strong," he said.

The NATO officials also spoke in favor of providing "all support and security guarantees" to the OSCE observers who monitor the implementation of the agreement from Minsk.

They also expressed regret that Russia has decided to withdraw from the agreement on reduction of conventional forces in Europe, stressing that NATO "supports arms control."