WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Minsk agreement was signed by representatives of the Kiev government and the Donbass militias in February 2015 to deescalate the situation in eastern Ukraine.
"The Vice President condemned the increasing violence in eastern Ukraine — which has led to a deteriorating humanitarian situation — and the continued failure by combined Russian-separatist forces to allow the OSCE full access to the areas under their de facto control," the release stated on Thursday.
Biden also said the implementation of the Minsk agreement by all sides "remained the best way forward for resolving the conflict."
Key points of the Minsk agreements include a ceasefire, heavy weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, constitutional reforms, including a decentralization of power in the country, and granting a special status to the Donbass region.
The sides failed to fulfill the agreements by the end of 2015, as initially intended. The deadline for completion has been extended into 2016.
Russia has repeatedly refuted any allegations that it had deployed troops in Ukraine or is otherwise meddling in Ukraine’s internal affairs.
