John Kerry: Russia's aggression requires more spending on NATO

Russia's aggression against Ukraine has become a “wakeup call”.

It requires to increase spending on NATO, the US Department of State cites Secretary of State John Kerry as saying at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, Ukrinform report.

“Until Russia fully makes that kind of commitment to the peace process and to the stability of Ukraine, the United States and Europe are compelled to continue to prepare greater costs, including tough economic sanctions, with the hopes that they will not have to be used. But that is dependent on the choices that Russia and its president make in the next days and weeks,” the US Secretary of State said.

In particular, he noted that it was “critical for President Putin to prove by his actions, not just his words, that he is indeed fully committed to peace”. Kerry added it was vital to “stop the flow of weapons and fighters across the border, to call publicly for the separatists to lay down their arms, to pull Russian forces and equipment back, and to help get OSCE hostages released”.