The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called on the Russian Federation to stop shifting responsibility for the implementation of the Minsk agreements onto others.
"Russia must finally stop shifting responsibility onto others and begin to fulfill its obligations toward peaceful settlement. The rhetoric about approaching a 'dangerous line' fits into the logic of war, on which the Kremlin still can't give up," the spokesman for MFA Ukraine, Oleh Nikolenko, has told UNIAN.
Read alsoKravchuk: Success of Donbas peace process depends on implementation of Normandy Four decisions by RussiaRather than encouraging Germany and France to apply their influence, they should instruct the Moscow-controlled armed groups to observe ceasefire, to unblock the Trilateral Contact Group's work, and to finalize the long-awaited decisions to improve people's lives on both sides of the contact line. This is about the launch of the checkpoint, humanitarian demining, designation of new disengagement areas, and progress towards the release of held persons," Nikolenko stressed.
He added that Ukraine is fully committed to achieving progress on the said issues, while seeing no readiness on the part of Russia for any constructive work.
Background
Earlier this week, Russian puppet authorities in the occupied part of Donetsk region gave permission to Moscow's proxy forces to open "pre-emptive fire" to suppress and destroy Ukrainian firing points.
The Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group saw the statement as a threat of Russia's unilateral withdrawal from the ceasefire deal and a threat to disrupt the implementation of Minsk agreements.
Today, March 4, Russian president's spox Dmitry Peskov claimed the Ukrainian side should remain a supporter of the Minsk agreements, and expressed "concern" about the rising tension on the contact line in Donbas.
