Russian UN Envoy Urges Germany to Press Ukraine to Fulfill Minsk Agreements

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations told the UN Security Council Monday that Germany, holding chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), should facilitate the ease of the latest crisis in Ukraine that is blocking full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Germany should use its position as chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to help ease the latest crisis in Ukraine that is blocking full implementation of the Minsk agreements, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Vitaly Churkin told the UN Security Council.

"The [Ukraine government’s] agenda was imposed by radicals," Churkin said of the current government in Kiev, which took over following the 2014 ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych. "We suggest that one of the primary tasks for the German chairmanship of the OSCE should be full implementation of the [Minsk] package."

Continued skirmishes in southeastern Ukraine belies peace agreements signed in Minsk in September 2014 and again in February 2015, which call for an end to all fighting, removal of heavy weapons from the line of separation as well as constitutional reforms.

A surge in new protests against the US-backed government in Kiev is resembling demonstrations two years ago.

"This is the reason, not only for the full chaos in the economic and political life of Ukraine, but also Kiev’s non-implementation of a number of key provisions of the package of measures agreed upon in Minsk," Churkin told the Security Council on Monday.

The latest outbreak of protests against the Kiev government has brought additional complexity as the Minsk accords violations continue against areas in southeastern Ukraine.