US at OSCE: Russia fails to follow through on any of commitments to achieve peace in Donbas

Ukraine has taken several steps toward the implementation of the Minsk agreements, while Russia remains intransigent when negotiating the details of how peace can be achieved.

“As Ambassador Grau [Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group] noted during last week’s Permanent Council meeting, Ukraine has taken several steps toward the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Kyiv has adopted and renewed the Law on Special Status and has negotiated in good faith. Russia, however, has failed to follow through on any of the commitments it made to improve the security situation inside eastern Ukraine and remains intransigent when negotiating the details of how peace can be achieved,” Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to OSCE Harry Kamian said at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The United States urges Russia to match the political will shown by Ukraine, Kamian noted. “A demonstration of Russian political will to end this horrific conflict is long overdue,” he said.

Harry Kamian again stated that the United States “fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters.”

“We do not, nor will we ever, recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea. We join our European and other partners in affirming our Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia will remain in place until Russia fully implements its Minsk commitments and returns full control of Crimea to Ukraine,” the Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to OSCE said.

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