Putin to Macron: Ukraine Escalating Situation in Donbass With Silent Permission of West

Russia has repeatedly called on European countries to pressure Kiev to start fulfilling its obligations under the Minsk agreements devised as a framework for ending the internal conflict in Ukraine. Moscow says that Kiev systematically ignores these obligations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that the Ukrainian government is escalating the situation in Donbass and does so with the silent permission of the West, the Kremlin's press service has stated.

Putin also stressed that this escalation is taking place as Ukraine is being "pumped with" advanced weapons. The latter creates security threats for Russia itself, the president added in a telephone call with Macron according to the Kremlin's press service.

In addition, the Russian president named specific violations of the Minsk agreements by Kiev in his talks with Emmanuel Macron, the service said.

The telephone call between the two presidents comes amid increased attention by the West over the alleged military buildup of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine. This attention is coupled with calls from Moscow to pay greater attention towards the lack of efforts on Kiev's part to fulfill the provisions of the Minsk agreements being ignored.

These agreements were signed in 2015 by the Ukrainian government and the representatives of the two self-proclaimed people's republics in the country's east, which rebelled against Kiev following a western-backed coup in 2014. The agreements were backed by Russia and several European countries, including France. However, none of the western backers heeded Moscow's calls to pressure Ukraine to begin honouring its obligations under the Minsk agreements.

Not only did Kiev not take any steps envisaged by the agreements to ensure the reintegration of the eastern regions back into the country, but it went against the provisions of the deals. The Ukrainian Parliament is reviewing a bill that would prevent issuing amnesty to the participants of the rebellion in Donetsk and Lugansk, the two breakaway regions. The Minsk agreements suggested issuing clemency to all those living in these regions as a prerequisite for their reintegration into Ukraine.