The latest development out of NATO, which was already largely expected [7], must be part of the just announced elaborate de-escalation scheme. From VOA [8]:
NATO members are sending navy ships to the Baltic Sea to increase the security of the alliance's eastern European allies in response to the Ukraine crisis.
NATO's Maritime Command said Thursday it is sending four minesweepers and a support vessel to the Baltic Sea. The ships are from Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and Estonia.
The alliance said Thursday it does not intend to escalate the situation in Ukraine, but rather to "demonstrate solidarity" and ramp up NATO's readiness.
NATO has made clear it does not want to get involved militarily in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member.
Ah yes, because the Geneva "de-escalation" statement explicitly did not mention anything about a military build up when it is solely for "solidarity demonstration" purposes, and not for "intimidation or provocation." At least we now know what loopholey, umbrella phrase the next Russian escalation in east Ukraine will be held under: "demonstrating solidarity" with ethnic Russians in the region.