Sixth anniversary of Minsk Protocol: U.S. calls on Russia to withdraw weapons, forces from Ukraine

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Marking the sixth anniversary of the Minsk Protocol's signing, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv called on Russia to withdraw its weapons and troops from the country and return to Ukraine full control over its borders.Read alsoMinsk talks on Donbas may change location over protests in Belarus – Kravchuk

"On the sixth anniversary of the Minsk Protocol's signing we urge Russia to fully implement its Minsk commitments, withdraw its weapons and the forces it leads from Ukraine, and return to Ukraine full control of its internationally-recognized borders," the Embassy wrote on Facebook on September 5.

"The United States' support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity remains ironclad," the Embassy said.

Minsk agreements: background

• A preliminary protocol to a ceasefire agreement was signed at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Donbas settlement on September 5, 2014.
• The document was signed by OSCE envoy Heidi Tagliavini, former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, and Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov.
• The Minsk Protocol follow-up Memorandum was signed on September 20. The Memorandum contains nine points related to a ban on the use of all types of weapons and offensive actions.
• According to the Memorandum, the parties shall withdraw their heavy military equipment from the contact line by at least 15 kilometres on each side. An OSCE monitoring mission consisting of OSCE observers shall be deployed in the ceasefire zone within 24 hours of the approval of this Memorandum, the document said.