Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticised the West for constantly blaming Moscow for the crisis in eastern Ukraine. Lavrov was speaking
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticised the West for constantly blaming Moscow for the crisis in eastern Ukraine.
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Lavrov was speaking in Basel, Switzerland after an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) meeting of foreign ministers in support of its work to de-escalate tensions.
“The special monitoring mission of the OSCE is increasing,” said Lavrov. “It will watch over the heavy weapons withdrawal from the dividing line and will generally monitor that the cease-fire between Kiev security forces and militiamen is respected.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said his country needs “a ceasefire not in name, but ceasefire in substance.”
“We are in the situation now, where we need to find new momentum for the OSCE to become really political, and to be able to act through the challenges to European security, to inject more momentum in efforts for peace across the European continent,” said Klimkin.
Ukraine and rebel leaders have agreed a so-called day of silence on December 9 to set up a non-militarised buffer zone.