The deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office believes that such a move would help stabilise the security situation in the region
Ukraine suggests that NATO continue joint military exercises and patrolling of Ukrainian airspace. This was announced by the presidential office on Thursday following a meeting between Roman Mashovets, deputy head of the structure, and Alexander Vinnikov, head of the NATO mission in Kiev.
“The organisation of joint exercises of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with NATO military, the possibility of joint air patrols in the Ukrainian airspace with NATO aviation will contribute to the stabilisation of the security situation in the region”, – Mashovets said in particular.\
The office said the sides discussed the escalation of “the situation in eastern Ukraine, the build-up of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border, possible ways of a joint response and further development of Ukraine’s integration into the alliance”. In this regard, the office’s deputy chief stressed the importance of a political response from NATO leadership to attempts by Russia attributed to Ukraine to “derail the peace process as well as the full and comprehensive ceasefire established on 27 July 2020”, the statement said.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the movement of Russian troops around the country should not worry other states because it does not threaten them in any way. He added that there was an increased activity of armed forces of NATO countries as well as other alliances and individual countries along Russia’s border perimeter. Therefore, he said, “the Russian Federation is taking necessary measures to ensure the security of its borders.
Peskov also stressed that the conflict in Donbas is an internal Ukrainian conflict, and “Russian troops have never taken part in it and are not taking part in it. He noted that Russia, as well as the rest of the world, “would not want the civil war in Ukraine to flare up again as a result of provocations and provocative actions of the Ukrainian armed forces.