BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO's chief says the allies and Russia remain at loggerheads over the conflict in Ukraine but have exchanged briefings on their troop movements elsewhere in Europe to help ease tensions.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the "allies and Russia continue to have clear disagreements on the crisis in and around Ukraine."

Stoltenberg's remarks came after ambassadors from the military alliance's 28 nations met Thursday for the first time this year.

He said NATO urged Russia "to use its significant influence on the militants" in eastern Ukraine to get them to respect their obligations amid continued fighting and constant cease-fire violations.

Russia briefed the ambassadors about new troop deployments near its western border, while NATO gave an update on forces being deployed to the Baltic states and Poland.

This story has been corrected to show that NATO has 28 members, not 29.