The US and Europe onThursday accused Russia of blocking any solution to the conflict in easternUkraine, reports AFP.
The remarks came during a UN Security Council video conference convened byMoscow to mark the sixth anniversary of the Minsk II accords, agreed in February 2015 to end the war in the Donbass region.
“Russia must immediately cease its aggression in eastern Ukraine and endits occupation of Crimea,” said US diplomat Rodney Hunter.
“We call on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine, cease its support for its proxies and other armed groups, and implement all of the commitmentsit made under the Minsk agreements.”
A joint declaration condemning ongoing instability in the Donetsk andLuhansk regions was issued by European members of the Security Council, aswell as Germany, which along with France co-sponsored the Minsk accordsbetween Moscow and Kiev.
“By the use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty ofUkraine, Russia is clearly violating fundamental principles of international law,” the declaration states.
“We again call on the Russian Federation to immediately stop fueling theconflict by providing financial and military support to the armed formations it backs, and we remain deeply concerned about the presence of Russian military equipment and personnel in the non-government-controlled areas of Ukraine.”
Russia’s ambassador to the UN, VassilyNebenzia, rejected the Westerncondemnation and accused Ukraine of not implementing Minsk accord measures,with backing from French and German “protectors.”
He also accused Kiev of “total indifference” to Donbass residents.
His German counterpart ChristophHeusgen, who took part in the Minsknegotiations under Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government, said the Russianambassador failed to mention Moscow’s shortcomings on removal of heavyweapons under the accords.
“Until today, the Russian heavy weapons have not been withdrawn from theline of command and control in violation of the Minsk agreements,” Heusgensaid.
Without access to the border between Ukraine and Russia, an area that isbeyond control of Kiev, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) monitoring mission to the region “cannot do its job,” Heusgenadded.
“Therefore Russia can, day after day, ship soldiers and armament intoLuhansk and Donetsk,” he said.
France’s ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Riviere, called Russia’sstatements against France and Germany “unfounded.”
Rosemary DiCarlo, under-secretary-general for political and peace-buildingaffairs, said until a sustainable political solution is found, the situation on the ground will remain “fragile.”
“The risk of backsliding is real if negotiations become deadlocked,” shesaid.
“We are deeply concerned by the increase in security incidents in severalhotspots along the contact line in recent months. This dangerous trend needsto be quickly reversed.”
Ukraine has been fighting separatists backed by Russia in the Donetsk andLuhansk regions in Donbass since 2014 following Moscow’s annexation of theCrimean peninsula.
Since then, more than 13,000 people have died and nearly 1.5 million havebeen displaced.
Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Russia of sending troops and arms tosupport the separatists, claims Moscow denies.
