NATO has no plans to deploy troops to Ukraine, Stoltenberg says

NATO has no troops inside Ukraine and has no plans to send any into the country, the alliance's Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, told a news conference on Thursday, Reuters reported. 

"There are no NATO combat troops, no NATO troops at all inside Ukraine. We have made it clear that we don't have any plans and intention of deploying NATO troops to Ukraine," he said.

"What we have made clear is that we have already increased and we are increasing the presence of NATO troops in the eastern part of the alliance on NATO territory."

Ukraine is a partner of the Western defence alliance but not a NATO member.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine early on Thursday.