During the Working Dinner of NATO Defence Ministers, the Minister of National Defence Dimitris Avramopoulos in his speech about the Ukrainian crisis stated, among others, the following:
«The situation is much more complicated than it seems and it will need time to become clear. It should not be dealt with superficially and as a matter of cold war relations. It must not turn into a field of controversy between the East and the West. It is deeply rooted in Ukraine’s history and nowadays old rivalries, ethnic disputes and revengefulness revive.
We call all involved parties to refrain from acts of violence and launch a dialogue in order to find a peaceful solution which will ensure the territorial integrity of the country.
A sovereign, independent, stable and financially developed Ukraine firmly guided by democratic principles and rule of law is of primary significance for the Euro-Atlantic security and stability.
The Ukrainian crisis should not turn into a field of controversy between the East and the West. The Alliance must approach the situation in a careful and balanced manner. Our role is determined by the specific Cooperation Agreement between NATO and Ukraine. It is exclusively in this aspect and in the context of this Agreement that we will handle our cooperation with Kiev in all fields, to develop our relations with this country.
As an alliance, we must monitor carefully the developments in the country, as well as the action of other international bodies.
While dealing with issues which regard Ukraine, we must maintain the existent paths of communication, cooperation and consultation with the main regional factors, of course, including Russia.
In the direction of achieving our goals we approve the draft statement of the Alliance».