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Minsk Accords sacrificed by Kiev to retain sanctions against Russia, top diplomat says

Sergey Lavrov stressed that the Minsk Accords calling for direct dialogue between Kiev and Donetsk and Lugansk are sabotaged by the Ukrainian authorities

MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. Kiev is sacrificing peace in Donbass in order to retain anti-Russian sanctions, and Brussels is going along with it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at an opening of a conference on Russia-EU relations on Monday.

"Essentially, in our opinion, the entire EU’s policy directed at Russia is linked to the implementation of the Minsk Accords by Moscow which, by the way, call for direct dialogue between Kiev and Donetsk and Lugansk and which Ukrainian authorities openly sabotage with Brussels’ support," he said.

The top diplomat reiterated that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky openly stated that Kiev is not pleased with the Minsk Accords, yet Ukraine wants them to remain effective since, this way, the sanctions against Russia remain. "So, essentially, currently the EU agrees with the fact that the unity of Ukraine, peace in Donbass are being sacrificed by Kiev in order to retain the anti-Russian sanctions," he stressed.

The Minsk Package of Measures ("Minsk-2"), signed by the participants of the Contact Group on February 12, 2015, is the foundation for settling the Donbass conflict. The document, in addition to a ceasefire and withdrawal of military equipment, provides for a profound constitutional reform in Ukraine with the resulting decentralization of power, taking into account a special status of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions as well as holding elections there. Russia repeatedly expressed adherence to the 2015 Minsk Accords at the highest level, considering them the only foundation for settling the internal conflict in Ukraine.

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Ukraine crisis Sergey Lavrov Vladimir Zelensky

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