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Ukraine crisis: Nato promises 'more planes in the air, more ships on the water and more readiness on land' on eastern borders Ukraine crisis: Nato promises 'more planes in the air, more ships on the water and more readiness on land' on eastern borders
(about 2 hours later)
Nato has vowed to increase its military presence in eastern Europe as the Ukraine crisis continues to escalate, with the Secretary General promising “more planes in the air, mores ships on the water and more readiness on the land” at a conference today. Nato is to harden its military presence in eastern Europe – including the deployment of RAF warplanes – in response to the crisis in eastern Ukraine.
The 28-nation alliance is taking steps to immediately bolster its military presence in response to growing tensions in Ukraine as preparations for RAF jets to be sent into the region was underway. The secretary general of the Atlantic alliance, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has promised “more planes in the air, more ships on the water, and more readiness on the land”.
"You will see deployments at sea, in the air, on land to take place immediately, that means within days," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told a news conference in Brussels today. In advance of new diplomatic negotiations in Geneva tomorrow, Mr Rasmussen called on Moscow to repudiate “the violent actions of well-armed militias or pro-Russian separatists" in a string of cities in  eastern Ukraine.
Mr Rasmussen said Moscow must make clear "it doesn't support the violent actions of well-armed militias or pro-Russian separatists" in eastern Ukraine. Nato’s supreme military commander reported, however, that there was no sign of any further Russian build-up close to the Ukrainian border. “The force posture of the Russian forces… has not significantly changed,” said General Philip Breedlove.
Mr Rasmussen said aircraft involved in the air policing mission would "fly more sorties over the Baltic region". The UK defence secretary, Philip Hammond, has already offered RAF Typhoon aircraft to support Nato air patrols in the Baltic. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that preparations had started for the aircraft to fly to Lithuania.
He added: "Allied ships will deploy to the Baltic Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean and elsewhere, as required. Military staff from allied nations will deploy to enhance our preparedness, training and exercises. Our defence plans will be reviewed and reinforced." Following a meeting of the North Atlantic Council – the ambassadors of the 28 Nato countries – Mr Rasmussen said a series of steps would be taken to reassure jumpy members of the alliance in central and eastern Europe. “Allied ships will deploy to the Baltic Sea, the eastern Mediterranean and elsewhere, as required. Military staff from allied nations will deploy to enhance our preparedness, training and exercises,” he said.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond had already offered Typhoon aircraft to support the air policing effort in the Baltic and the Ministry of Defence confirmed preparations had begun for their deployment to Lithuania. The measures may be partly intended to strengthen the hand of American and EU negotiators before they enter talks in Geneva with Russia and the Ukraine. On Tuesday night, the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, accused Moscow of making a “grave miscalculation”  by fomenting a “greater risk of violent confrontation” in Russian-speaking cities in the eastern part of Ukraine.
A MoD spokesman said the RAF was sending logistical support equipment for the Typhoons to the region ahead of the deployment of the jets to Siauliai in Lithuania. Mr Hague said that Russia had sent “armed groups, thinly disguised” to try to “destabilise Ukraine” and dictate the terms of a looser, more federal constitution for its eastern neighbour.
"Some logistical equipment is going out to support the deployment when that does happen," a spokesman said. On Tuesday, the German chancellor Angela Merkel telephoned the Russian president Vladimir Putin to deliver a similar message. She is believed to have warned Mr Putin that the EU was prepared to move towards tougher economic sanctions on an already stumbling Russian economy unless Mosow “de-escalated” the crisis.
Mr Rasmussen stressed the move is about "deterrence and de-escalation" in the face of Russia's aggressive behaviour and said it will not intervene militarily in Ukraine despite Russia's annexation of Crimea and a buildup of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border. In response, Mr Putin accused the interim Ukrainian government in Kiev of escalating the conflict by making military moves against the pro-Russians occupying key buildings in eastern Ukraine. He said the country was “in effect on the verge of a civil war”.
He declined to specify how many troops or assets will be deployed, saying only it will be "enough" and more could be done if needed. In Kiev, the interim Ukrainian prime minister Arseniy Yatseniuk accused Moscow of orchestrating “terrorism”.
Nato estimates Russia has amassed some 40,000 troops on Ukraine's eastern border and could invade parts of the country within days if it wished. “Russia has got a new export now, apart from oil and gas: Russia is now exporting terrorism to Ukraine," Mr Yatsenyuk told a cabinet meeting. “Russia must withdraw its sabotage groups, condemn terrorists and liberate all administrative buildings.”
Additional reporting by Press Association