BRUSSELS: Amid crisis with Ukraine, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Chief of Staff has urged Russia to "take the path of negotiation."

At the conclusion of an unprecedented meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussels on Tuesday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned, "This is the most dangerous time in European security for a generation."  "Europe and North America remain together in NATO, committed to defending and protecting one another," he continued.

NATO raised its Response Force's readiness few weeks ago and now has 100 jets on high alert and 120 ships at sea, he said, adding that  it was not too late to chose diplomacy over attack, and he urged Russia to engage in discussions to find a diplomatic solution to the situation. He applauded the economic measures imposed by numerous NATO partners, as well as Germany's decision not to certify the Nord Stream 2 project.

Following Moscow's recognition of two separatist regions as independent, Stoltenberg warned Russian forces are continuing to prepare for a possible invasion on Ukraine. The "Lugansk People's Republic (LPR)" and the "Donetsk People's Republic (DPR)" were recognised as independent and sovereign states by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

NATO's eastward expansion is to blame for the European security crisis, which has resulted in a lack of mutual confidence Putin said on Tuesday.

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