Meanwhile, NATO has countered Russia's claims that the military alliance is destabilizing northern Europe with some accusations of its own (from RFE/RL's Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels):
The head of NATO says Russia has been sending large amounts of weapons to rebels in eastern Ukraine and stepped up its military activity around Europe and the world.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a monthly news conference in Brussels that "efforts for lasting peace continue" despite daily violations of a September cease-fire in the conflict between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists.
"We see a significant military build-up in and around Ukraine, large transfers of Russian advanced weapons, equipment and military personnel to violent separatists, and a major increase in Russian military activity around Europe and beyond," Stoltenberg said.
He said Russia and the separatists are not respecting the cease-fire deal, which aimed to end a conflict that has killed more than 4,300 people since April and driven East-West ties to post-Cold War lows.
Polish ex-Prime Minister Donald Tusk has taken over as EC President today. Naturally, Ukraine featured prominently in the first comments he made in the new job (from RFE/RL's Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels):
Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was inaugurated as President of the European Council on December 1, marking the first time a politician from a former Soviet bloc country has occupied such a high-ranking European Union post.
Tusk succeeds Herman Van Rompuy, a Belgian who served two consecutive terms at the position since its creation in 2009.
Tusk's agenda includes working for the recovery of the EU economy and negotiating with Russia on multiple issues.
Tusk has accused Russia of "expansionism" and has criticized the seizure of Crimea and military intervention in eastern Ukraine.
He has backed EU sanctions against Russia, despite the cost to the EU economy, saying failure to react to Russia's actions in Ukraine would have "catastrophic" consequences.
Ahead of his inauguration, Tusk said he "comes to Brussels from a country that deeply believes in the significance of a united Europe."
(With reporting by Reuters)