Merkel Shrugs Off Russian 'Warplane Activity'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she is not too concerned over reports of a growing amount of Russian military activity in European airspace.



Her comments came on Thursday a day after NATO warned in a statement that Russian military aircrafts were performing "an unusual level of air activity over European airspace", conducting maneuvers over the Baltic Sea, North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, and Black Sea.



 Merkel said at a joint press conference with Slovenian Miro Cerar in Berlin: "I see that, in the last few months, Russian army is performing very intense military exercises. But for the time being I am not severely worried over bigger violation of airspace taking place here."



The alliance said that NATO warplanes have intercepted more than 100 Russian aircrafts since January this year, three times more than were conducted in 2013.



Tension between NATO and Russia has heightened since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March.



Frequent attacks



Merkel criticized Russia's policy towards Ukraine, but also stressed the need to find a political solution to the conflict through dialog.



"On the one hand, we should continue to insist for the observance of the rule of law. But on the other hand, we should not cut off communication channels," she said.



Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March following the removal from power of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych a month earlier.



Following months of fighting, a cease-fire agreement between Kiev and eastern pro-Russian separatists was signed on September 5 in Minsk.



Despite the truce, separatists have continued frequent attacks to take Donetsk Airport and territory in the eastern part of the country.



www.aa.com.tr/en. - Berlin