NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance has yet to see signs on the ground to back up Russian claims that it has pulled back some troops from border areas with Ukraine, though there are signs from Moscow that it is willing to continue dialogue to give some room for hope that a crisis in the region can be averted.
"There are signs from Moscow that diplomacy should continue; this gives grounds for cautious optimism. But so far, we have not seen any sign of de-escalation on the ground," Stoltenberg told journalists in Brussels on February 15.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Live Briefing: Russian Missile Strikes On KyivSpeaking ahead of a two-day meeting of defense ministers from NATO members, Stoltenberg called the fighting force amassed by Russia in and around Ukraine "unprecedented since the Cold War."
"Everything is now in place for a new attack. But Russia still has time to step back from the brink, stop preparing for war and start working for a peaceful solution," Stoltenberg said.
Russia claimed on February 15 that it was pulling back some of the estimated 130,000 troops it has moved to areas near the Ukrainian border to their bases, in what would be the first step toward de-escalation.
Russia has insisted it has no plan to invade but at the same time has said it wants guarantees on European security issues, including a commitment by NATO not to expand to countries like Ukraine, or another former Soviet republic, Georgia.