MOSCOW, July 01. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia and Europe could not persuade Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko that the way to peace is not through war, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. Poroshenko assumed political and military responsibility, the president added.
“You know about the recent attempts to restore peace in Ukraine (Russian diplomats and the foreign minister personally took an active part in this process), you know about numerous talks, telephone conferences on that matter,” Putin said at a meeting with Russian ambassadors. “But regrettably, President Poroshenko took a decision to resume combat operations, and we - I mean myself and my colleagues in Europe - have failed to persuade him that a path to lasting, sustainable peace cannot be through war. Until now, Pyotr Alexeyevich [Petro Poroshenko] had nothing to do with orders to begin military actions, but now he has taken full responsibility upon himself — not only military but also political responsibility, which by far is more important.”