Ukraine to Become Non-Permanent UN Security Council Member in 2016

Ukraine will be for two years a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, according to the result of a UN General Assembly vote.

Russia in upgraded war of words with NATO

Russia slammed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday over his recent anti-Moscow remarks, accusing the bloc chief of lauding "idle inventions"....

NATO Sending 5 Ships to Baltic Sea Due to Ukraine Crisis

NATO members are sending part navy ships to the Baltic Sea to increase the security of the alliance's eastern European allies in response to the Ukraine crisis.

NATO's Maritime Command said Thursday it is sending four minesweepers and a support vessel to the Baltic Sea. The ships are from Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Estonia.

NATO Secretary General calls for readiness action plan. -- "France has kept defence spending close to our agreed target of 2% of economic output"

The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen attended the NATO Transformation Seminar in Paris and thanked Defence Minister Le Drian and the French hosts for France’s contribution to the Alliance’s collective security. “From Central Africa to Eastern Europe, French forces are helping make our world safer - whether under the banner of NATO, the European Union, or of France”, Mr. Fogh Rasmussen said at a press conference. “France has kept defence spending close to our agreed target of 2% of economic output. France has also shown a great commitment to invest in the capabilities we need, both in NATO and the European Union. This is a valuable example of European Allies choosing to invest the right resources in the right capabilities.

Moscow wants NATO to explain military build-up in Europe

Russia expected NATO to explain how the bloc's recent military build-up corresponded with existing bilateral agreements, the government said Thursday.

"We expect not just an answer, but an answer that will fully correspond with the agreed rules," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters following his talks with visiting Kazakhstan counterpart Yerlan Idrisov.

Russia and NATO had agreed that no excessive military presence was allowed on the territory of Eastern European countries.

Earlier this week, the United States said it had sent six F-15 fighters to patrol the Baltic, deployed a dozen F-16s to Poland and dispatched a guided-missile destroyer to the Black Sea.