West Taking No Action to Settle Ukraine Conflict, Says Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reproached western countries for their lack of political proposals to resolve the crisis in Ukraine, saying they are merely making demands of Russia and threatening sanctions.

“I have neither seen nor heard of any political initiatives from our western colleagues,” Lavrov told journalists.

“There were the Berlin agreements, now there are the agreements promoted within the OSCE. I want to ask our Western colleagues what their contribution to a political resolution is,” Lavrov said, criticizing the leaders for refusing to support the agreements made in the UN Security Council and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Lavrov said Russia’s western partners only say that Moscow needs to change its policy toward Ukraine.

“Until there is a change, there will be sanctions. I don’t know what is meant by changing policy. At the request of our western colleagues we supported the February 21 agreement, we were the initiators and active participants in developing the Geneva Agreements, we supported the OSCE ‘roadmap,’ which the West refused to support, we suggested various forms of observers on the border crossings,” Lavrov said.

Russia’s foreign minister said the West has been trying to stall the process, which is why it took a very long time for a decision to be made. “I want the lack of negotiability to become a matter of analysis and interpretation,” Lavrov said.

This month, the international community converged with Russia and Ukraine to discuss ways of resolving the conflict. On July 2, Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France held four-party talks in Berlin, in which they agreed on a range of measures necessary to persuade Kiev to immediately agree to a ceasefire.

The military operation targeting independence supporters in the east of Ukraine was launched by the Kiev authorities in mid-April and has already claimed hundreds of lives and forced thousands to flee their homes. Russia has repeatedly condemned Kiev’s actions and urged for an immediate stop to the punitive operation, advocating a peaceful resolution to the crisis in the region.

RIA Novosti

R.S