Read the entire July 11-12 Brussels Summit Declaration here.
BRUSSELS — NATO told Russia to withdraw its military forces from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
On July 11 in Brussels, leaders of NATO, agreeing unanimously in the Brussels Summit Declaration, reiterated their support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova within their internationally recognised borders.
“In accordance with its international commitments, we call on Russia to withdraw the forces it has stationed in all three countries without their consent. We strongly condemn Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, which we do not and will not recognize,” according to the declaration.
NATO leaders also stated that the discrimination against the Crimean Tatars and members of other local communities must end. “International monitoring structures must be allowed to carry out their essential work in view of the protection of human rights”.
They also called for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements by all sides, and support the efforts of the Normandy format and the Trilateral Contact Group.
“NATO’s response is in support of this overall effort, which includes sanctions as decided by the European Union, the G7, and others, to promote a peaceful solution to the conflict and to address Russia’s actions. We urge Russia to cease all political, financial, and military support to militant groups and stop intervening militarily in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and to withdraw troops, equipment, and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine, and return to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination”.
NATO leaders expressed their deep concern on the use of torture and the transfer of Ukrainian citizens to prisons in Russia. “We stress the importance of the safety and full and unhindered access for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Special Monitoring Mission, up to and including the Russia-Ukraine border”.
They called on Russia to reverse its recognition of the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia as independent states; to implement the EU-mediated 12 August 2008 ceasefire, particularly the withdrawal of Russian forces from the territory of Georgia; to end its militarisation of these regions; and to stop the construction of border-like obstacles.
“We also call on Russia to withdraw its troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, and to continue to engage constructively in the Transnistria Settlement Process. We are committed to supporting the Republic of Moldova’s democratic reforms and defence capacity building efforts”.
Leaders reminded that for over two decades, NATO has worked to build a partnership with Russia, including through the mechanism of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC).
“Russia’s recent activities and policies have reduced stability and security, increased unpredictability, and changed the security environment. While NATO stands by its international commitments, Russia has breached the values, principles and commitments which underpin the NATO-Russia relationship, as outlined in the 1997 Basic Document of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, and 2002 Rome Declaration, broken the trust at the core of our cooperation, and challenged the fundamental principles of the global and Euro-Atlantic security architecture”.
In this regards they underlined that decisions “we have taken are fully consistent with our international commitments, and therefore cannot be regarded by anyone as contradicting the NATO-Russia Founding Act.”
Leaders reaffirmed decisions towards Russia, agreed at the Wales and Warsaw Summits. “We continue to respond to the deteriorated security environment by enhancing our deterrence and defence posture, including by a forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance. We have also suspended all practical civilian and military cooperation between NATO and Russia, while remaining open to political dialogue. NATO does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia”.
According to NATO leaders, the Euro-Atlantic security environment has become less stable and predictable as a result of Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea and ongoing destabilisation of eastern Ukraine; its military posture and provocative military activities, including near NATO borders, such as the deployment of modern dual-capable missiles in Kaliningrad, repeated violation of NATO Allied airspace, and the continued military build-up in Crimea; its significant investments in the modernisation of its strategic forces; its irresponsible and aggressive nuclear rhetoric; its large-scale, no-notice snap exercises; and the growing number of its exercises with a nuclear dimension.
“This is compounded by Russia’s continued violation, non-implementation, and circumvention of numerous obligations and commitments in the realm of arms control and confidence- and security-building measures. Russia is also challenging Euro-Atlantic security and stability through hybrid actions, including attempted interference in the election processes, and the sovereignty of our nations, as was the case in Montenegro, widespread disinformation campaigns, and malicious cyber activities”.
Leaders also condemned the attack using a military-grade nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom and noted the independent confirmation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) of the nerve agent used. “The UK assesses that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation was responsible for the attack and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. We stand in solidarity with the UK in its assessment.”
