© AFP Photo / John ThysA photo taken on April 1, 2014 shows a view of the Foreign Affairs meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.
NATO has announced that it is suspending all military and civilian cooperation with Russia over the Ukrainian crisis, the bloc said in a joint statement.
"We have decided to suspend all practical civilian and military cooperation between NATO and Russia. Our political dialogue in the NATO-Russia Council can continue, as necessary, at the Ambassadorial level and above, to allow us to exchange views, first and foremost on this crisis," the statement reads. The alliance plans to review its relations with Russia at a meeting in June.
The decision could affect cooperation on Afghanistan in areas such as training counter-narcotics personnel, maintenance of Afghan air force helicopters and a transit route out of the war-torn country.
NATO foreign ministers also
urged Moscow in "to take immediate steps ... to return to compliance with international law
."
The bloc said that it was stepping up its cooperation with Ukraine, promoting defense reforms and increasing the activity of a liaison office in Kiev.
Comment: Obama tells EU to do more to cut reliance on Russian gas - Will give them U.S. supplies (...forget U.S. taxpayers)