NATO ambassadors on Thursday raised "serious concerns" with their Russian counterpart over Moscow's recognition of separatist identity papers in eastern Ukraine and the use of the ruble there, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said.

Stoltenberg also said ambassadors raised similar concerns over the seizure by separatists of companies in the east where pro-Moscow rebels have been fighting troops deployed by the pro-western government in Kiev.

"Today, Allies urged Russia to use its significant influence on the militants to meet their obligations in full," Stoltenberg told a press conference after the meeting in Brussels, referring to Moscow's obligations under the February 2015 Minsk peace accords.

"And (they) raised serious concerns about Russia's recognition of identity documents issued by the separatists, imposing the ruble, and seizure of companies," he added on the eve of NATO's first meeting in Brussels with US Secretary of State Red Tillerson.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a "temporary" decree in February recognising passports issued a year ago by rebel authorities in separatist regions of Ukraine, which Kiev denounced as a "provocation".

The separatists earlier this month also seized Ukrainian firms like Ukrtelecom, owned by Ukraine's richest man Rinat Akhmetov, in retaliation for a trade blockade.

Stoltenberg said NATO ambassadors also shared their "deep concern" with Russian counterpart Alexander Grushko over ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine that had reached "record levels."

They deplored that intense fighting continued and that heavy weapons remained in place despite orders for their withdrawal.

Stoltenberg alleged that OSCE monitors faced restrictions on their movements and sometimes became targets themselves.

The ambassadors met in the context of the NATO-Russia Council, which was launched in 2002.

The NRC had met regularly until the Ukraine crisis plunged relations with Moscow into the deep freeze in 2014, though this will be the fourth meeting since the forum resumed nearly a year ago.

NATO was alarmed when Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 and has accused Russia since of fuelling a rebellion in eastern Ukraine.

US-led NATO has suspended all practical cooperation with Russia over its role in Ukraine but Stoltenberg has said political channels of communication have always remained open.

In their meeting with Tillerson, foreign ministers from the 28-nation NATO will show their support for Kiev by welcoming their Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkine.

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Trump's debt collector: Tillerson heads to NATO
Washington (AFP) March 29, 2017
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will present a meeting of the NATO allies on Friday with a demand from President Donald Trump that they increase defense spending. The annual NATO foreign ministers talks in Brussels were brought forward at the last minute after Tillerson warned he would not be able to attend on the long-planned date. Washington's top diplomat is reportedly keeping tim ... read more

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