NATO, Russia Agree to Meet

NATO and Russia have agreed to meet to discuss heightened tensions between the country and the alliance, including the situation in Crimea. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a Friday statement the NATO-Russia Council will hold a meeting at the ambassadorial level over the next two weeks at NATO headquarters in Brussels. “The NATO-Russia Council will discuss the crisis in and around Ukraine and the need to fully implement the Minsk Agreements,” Stoltenberg said. “We will discuss military activities, with particular focus on transparency and risk reduction. We will also address the security situation in Afghanistan, including regional terrorist threats.” NATO will not “return to business as usual” until Russia can respect international law, Stoltenberg said. (See also: Russia’s Bloody Nose and Ambiguity in Ukraine)