During a press conference before the informal meeting of European Union Defense Ministers on 18 February, 2015 NATO Secretary General J.Stoltenberg underlined the next.

The situation in Eastern Ukraine remains difficult, the pro-Russian separatists refuse to respect the cease-fire threatens the agreement but even moere - they are making advances, especially in and around the Debaltseve and they have used advanced Russian weapons to attack. Russia provides support for the separatists, with providing them with heavy equipment, advanced weapons. The OSCE monitors are not allowed access to be able to do their job to monitor the ceasefire.

NATO Secretary General call on Russia to withdraw all its forces from eastern Ukraine, to stop all its support for the separatists and to respect the Minsk agreement. He also supported the decision by the UN Security Council which call on all the parties to respect the Minsk agreement and to respect and implement the ceasefire.

NATO will continue to provide strong political support for Ukrainian independence and territorial integrity. And Alliance will provide the practical support for Ukraine too, with modernising and reforming of the defence sector and Ukrainian Armed Forces.