"In fact, many of the outstanding measures needed for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements could be quickly accomplished if Putin gave the necessary orders," he told UNIAN while commenting on Putin's recent interview with German newspaper Bild where the Russian president said that Ukraine would be able to retake its eastern border with Russia only after constitutional reform had been introduced.
"In the interview with German newspaper Bild the Russian president wrongly claimed that all outstanding measures needed for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements were exclusively Kyiv's obligations. But Russia is a party to the conflict. Russia occupies Ukrainian territory. Russia directs the marionette regimes of Donetsk and Luhansk," Gahler said.
In his words, there has been no or insufficient engagement from the Russian side for immediate ceasefire, respect for the line of contact and the creation of security zones, support for the OSCE monitoring on the entire occupied territory and a meaningful and effective work of the Trilateral Contact Group.
"Instead we have seen the horror of Debaltseve [the battle of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine in January-February 2015]. There are Ukrainian hostages in Russia. 'Foreign armed formations' and 'mercenaries' are still operating on Ukrainian territory," he added.
