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EU, NATO, US leaders call for immediate de-escalation of situation around Ukraine

The situation around Ukraine will become the main topic of EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels on February 21

BRUSSELS, February 19. /TASS/. Leaders of the EU, NATO and the US had a phone call Friday evening, during which they called for an immediate de-escalation around Ukraine "amid the alarming reports," European Council President Charles Michel said.

"In the call with US and transatlantic leaders discussed the latest on Russia and Ukraine. Called for immediate de-escalation amidst alarming reports. The EU is committed to diplomacy and united in supporting Ukraine," Michel tweeted.

The phone call was simultaneously announced by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

"Good call with @POTUS & transatlantic leaders on the ongoing security crisis in & around #Ukraine. We continue our efforts to pursue diplomacy & agree that any further aggression from #Russia will come at a high cost," the NATO head tweeted.

The situation around Ukraine will become the main topic of EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Brussels on February 21. The European ministers will discuss it with Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba.

The situation at the contact line in Donbass escalated on Thursday. Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics report massive shelling by the Ukrainian military, and an offensive being prepared by Kiev. One civilian was injured and a number of civilian infrastructure objects were damaged. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin is following the situation in Donbass and considers it very dangerous due to Ukraine’s provocations.

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