Kiev's Aggression in Donbass Derails Minsk Deal - Kremlin

Kiev's aggressive actions along the contact line in the southeast of the country are derailing the ceasefire regime and showcase the Ukrainian leadership's reluctance to abide by the deals, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — He noted that the latest deadly escalation in fighting "clearly indicate the Ukrainian leadership and President [Petro] Poroshenko's reluctance, unwillingness to carry out these Minsk agreements."

"These aggressive actions with the participation of the Ukrainian armed forces undermine the goals and objectives of the implementation of the Minsk agreements," Peskov told reporters.

Peskov said Moscow's position has remained steadfast in that the Minsk accords, signed in February 2015, remain "the only possible way to resolve the Ukrainian conflict."

The Kremlin is extremely concerned over the situation on the contact line in Donbas, where the Ukrainian side has committed aggression against the local militia, Peskov said.

"The Kremlin is extremely concerned about what is happening on the contact line," Peskov said.

"There is currently no alternative to this political-diplomatic settlement in the form which has been laid out in the Minsk agreements," he said.

He also said that no high-level contacts in the "Normandy format" are planned in connection with the aggravation of the situation in Donbass.

"Not yet," Peskov told journalists, responding to the question whether contacts with the German and French sides were planned due to the worsening situation in Donbass.

He also gave a negative answer to the question if phone talks or personal meetings were planned. Peskov said Moscow, Paris and Berlin should put pressure on Kiev to make it implement the Minsk agreements.