NATO Drills in E Europe to Bring Minsk Deal to Naught - German Lawmaker

The Bundeswehr will once again take part in military maneuvers in Ukraine, which last year were perceived by Russia as a provocation. A total of 4,400 German soldiers will also participate in 16 operations in Poland and the Baltic states.

The Bundeswehr is planning to participate in two controversial NATO maneuvers in Ukraine, Telepolis portal wrote.

Similar maneuvers were held last year in spite of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. Russia viewed them as an act of provocation.

According to a member of the German Bundestag, Heike Hänsel, NATO maneuvers in Eastern Europe and especially in Ukraine bring the Minsk agreement to naught.

"We are not building trust with Russia, but only destroying the Minsk agreement on the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict," he said, pointing out that this year Moscow is not reacting to NATO military exercises in the neighboring country.

The first military exercise "Rapid Trident" is set to take place on July 20, near the Lviv region in western Ukraine. The "Sea Breeze" maneuver will be held in the Black Sea near Odessa from August 31 to September 12.

A total of 4,400 Bundeswehr soldiers are also expected to take part in 16 military exercises in Poland and the Baltic states. According to the German government, these maneuvers are a part of an action plan which was agreed at the last NATO summit in Wales.