NATO chief wary of Russian military moves near Ukraine

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is urging Russia to be more transparent about its military activities near Ukraine

BRUSSELS -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia on Monday to be more transparent about its military activities near Ukraine but he stopped short of suggesting that Moscow might be preparing to invade its former Soviet neighbor.

Ukraine claims that Russia kept tens of thousands of troops and equipment near their common border after conducting war games earlier this year. Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has supported a separatist insurgency that broke out that year in eastern Ukraine and still controls territory there.

The United States has warned the European Union to be wary of Russia’s intentions, but EU diplomats say that while they have noticed Moscow’s military buildup, they do not believe that Russia might launch action anytime soon.

“We call on Russia to be transparent about its military activities,” Stoltenberg told reporters after talks in Brussels with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. “It is important to prevent escalations and reduce tensions.”