MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation around Ukraine in a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, the Kremlin press service reported on Tuesday.
"The sides gave fundamental assessments of the current situation around Ukraine. Vladimir Putin cited concrete examples testifying to Kiev’s violation of the Minsk agreements, to which there is no alternative and that form the basis for the settlement of the internal Ukrainian crisis," the press service said.
"It was noted that the Ukrainian authorities are deliberately escalating the situation along the line of contact, moreover with the connivance of some Western countries. Besides, Ukraine is being pumped with advanced weapons, creating a direct threat to Russia’s security," it reported.
Western countries and the Kiev regime have been spreading allegations lately about Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these speculations as an "empty and groundless" escalation of tension. He did not rule out the probability of provocations to justify such allegations and warned that attempts to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine through military means would have serious consequences.
The Russian presidential spokesman also assured that Moscow was making every effort to help Kiev settle the Donbass conflict, while remaining committed to the Normandy format and the Minsk Agreements.