Russian decision to pull back troops "overdue", NATO says

Russia's announcement on Thursday that it was ordering troops back to base from the area near the border with Ukraine is important and timely, a NATO official said, adding that the Western military alliance would remain vigilant.

"Any steps towards de-escalation by Russia would be important and well overdue," a NATO official told Reuters. "NATO remains vigilant and we will continue to closely monitor Russia's unjustified military build-up in and around Ukraine," the official said.

The official said NATO stood with Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance, and called on Russia to withdraw all its forces from Ukraine's territory.