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| Ukraine crisis: Nato to bolster Eastern Europe against Russia | Ukraine crisis: Nato to bolster Eastern Europe against Russia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nato is set to announce details of a plan to bolster the alliance's military presence in Eastern Europe in response to continued fighting in Ukraine. | Nato is set to announce details of a plan to bolster the alliance's military presence in Eastern Europe in response to continued fighting in Ukraine. |
| The bloc's chief says it will be the biggest reinforcement of its collective defence since the end of the Cold War. | The bloc's chief says it will be the biggest reinforcement of its collective defence since the end of the Cold War. |
| Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry is to hold talks in Kiev as the US considers whether to send weapons to help Ukraine fight pro-Russian rebels. | Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry is to hold talks in Kiev as the US considers whether to send weapons to help Ukraine fight pro-Russian rebels. |
| The US has so far only provided "non-lethal" assistance to Ukraine. | The US has so far only provided "non-lethal" assistance to Ukraine. |
| On Wednesday Ashton Carter, the White House's choice for defence secretary, said he was "inclined" to start supplying arms. | On Wednesday Ashton Carter, the White House's choice for defence secretary, said he was "inclined" to start supplying arms. |
| Rapid reaction | Rapid reaction |
| Nato defence ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday will seek to reassure the alliance's member nations in Eastern Europe by boosting its forces there. | Nato defence ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday will seek to reassure the alliance's member nations in Eastern Europe by boosting its forces there. |
| A rapid reaction force of up to 5,000 is expected to be announced, with its lead units able to deploy at two days' notice. | A rapid reaction force of up to 5,000 is expected to be announced, with its lead units able to deploy at two days' notice. |
| Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has said the bloc faces a "fundamental change" to its security environment because of Russian aggression. | Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has said the bloc faces a "fundamental change" to its security environment because of Russian aggression. |
| Speaking as ministers arrived in Brussels, he said: "This is something we do as a response to the aggressive actions we have seen from Russia, violating international law and annexing Crimea," he said. | Speaking as ministers arrived in Brussels, he said: "This is something we do as a response to the aggressive actions we have seen from Russia, violating international law and annexing Crimea," he said. |
| "I very much underline that this is something we do because we have to adapt our forces when we see that the world is changing." | "I very much underline that this is something we do because we have to adapt our forces when we see that the world is changing." |
| Nato will also reveal plans for a network of small command centres in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. | Nato will also reveal plans for a network of small command centres in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. |
| The move is being seen as a potential deterrent against any Russian threat to the Baltic states or other bloc members should the crisis in Ukraine spin out of control. | The move is being seen as a potential deterrent against any Russian threat to the Baltic states or other bloc members should the crisis in Ukraine spin out of control. |
| Russia denies accusations by Ukraine and the West that it is arming rebels in eastern Ukraine and sending regular troops across the border. | Russia denies accusations by Ukraine and the West that it is arming rebels in eastern Ukraine and sending regular troops across the border. |
| Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent | Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent |
| Nato sees its actions as entirely defensive - but this is not the way they will be seen in Moscow. | Nato sees its actions as entirely defensive - but this is not the way they will be seen in Moscow. |
| Indeed their fundamentally different perceptions of the Ukraine crisis is what is driving the wider rift between Russia and the West. | Indeed their fundamentally different perceptions of the Ukraine crisis is what is driving the wider rift between Russia and the West. |
| Nato's wider actions - it also plans to open a training centre in Georgia and support for the reform of Ukraine's military - all ring alarm bells in Moscow. | Nato's wider actions - it also plans to open a training centre in Georgia and support for the reform of Ukraine's military - all ring alarm bells in Moscow. |
| Tensions could get worse still if the US or other Nato allies move to arm the Ukrainian military. | Tensions could get worse still if the US or other Nato allies move to arm the Ukrainian military. |
| This is not a Nato issue as such but something for national governments, and everyone is watching the course of the evolving debate within the Obama administration. | This is not a Nato issue as such but something for national governments, and everyone is watching the course of the evolving debate within the Obama administration. |
| Nato readjusts as Ukraine crisis looms | Nato readjusts as Ukraine crisis looms |
| Later on Thursday, Mr Kerry will meet Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Ukraine's capital. | Later on Thursday, Mr Kerry will meet Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk in Ukraine's capital. |
| The issue of weapons deliveries to Ukraine - and other avenues of US assistance - is expected to be one of the main items on the agenda. | The issue of weapons deliveries to Ukraine - and other avenues of US assistance - is expected to be one of the main items on the agenda. |
| On Wednesday Mr Carter, who previously served as deputy secretary of defence, appeared in front of the Senate Armed Service committee in Washington for questioning ahead of a full Senate confirmation vote on his nomination as Secretary of Defense. | On Wednesday Mr Carter, who previously served as deputy secretary of defence, appeared in front of the Senate Armed Service committee in Washington for questioning ahead of a full Senate confirmation vote on his nomination as Secretary of Defense. |
| He spoke positively on the possibility of moving arms supplies to the Ukrainians. | He spoke positively on the possibility of moving arms supplies to the Ukrainians. |
| "I'm very much inclined in that direction, mister chairman, because I think we need to support the Ukrainians in defending themselves," he said when asked by Senator John McCain if he supported delivering "defensive weapons" to Ukraine. | "I'm very much inclined in that direction, mister chairman, because I think we need to support the Ukrainians in defending themselves," he said when asked by Senator John McCain if he supported delivering "defensive weapons" to Ukraine. |
| "The nature of those arms, I can't say right now," he added. | "The nature of those arms, I can't say right now," he added. |
| Ongoing fighting | Ongoing fighting |
| The White House has previously expressed fears that sending in weapons could trigger a tense confrontation with Russia and escalate the conflict. | The White House has previously expressed fears that sending in weapons could trigger a tense confrontation with Russia and escalate the conflict. |
| But US President Barack Obama is now said to be reconsidering his position, accusing Russia of escalating the conflict in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. | But US President Barack Obama is now said to be reconsidering his position, accusing Russia of escalating the conflict in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. |
| Fighting has intensified in recent weeks, leaving a September ceasefire in tatters. | Fighting has intensified in recent weeks, leaving a September ceasefire in tatters. |
| Earlier this week, a group of former senior US officials and officers urged a major increase in military assistance, including providing light-armour missiles designed to take out tanks and armoured vehicles. | Earlier this week, a group of former senior US officials and officers urged a major increase in military assistance, including providing light-armour missiles designed to take out tanks and armoured vehicles. |
| And on Tuesday, a group of US senators called on President Obama and Nato "to rapidly increase military assistance to Ukraine to defend its sovereign borders against escalating Russian aggression". | And on Tuesday, a group of US senators called on President Obama and Nato "to rapidly increase military assistance to Ukraine to defend its sovereign borders against escalating Russian aggression". |
| Fighting in eastern Ukraine began last April, when separatists seized government buildings after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula. | Fighting in eastern Ukraine began last April, when separatists seized government buildings after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula. |
| More than 5,000 people have been killed in the conflict. | More than 5,000 people have been killed in the conflict. |