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February 18, 2015

U.S. Accuses Russia of Violating Ceasefire; U.N. Security Council Calls for End to Violence 
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The Ukrainian withdrawal comes one day after the U.N. Security Council
unanimously passed a Russian-drafted resolution urging all sides to halt
the fighting. Despite voting for Russia's measure, U.S. Ambassador
Samantha Power denounced Moscow for supporting the rebels.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power: "If Russia is committed to peace, it
doesn't need a U.N. Security Council resolution to prove it. There are
actually easier ways to prove it. You could stop arming the separatists;
stop sending hundreds of heavy weapons across the border, in addition to
your troops; stop pretending you're not doing what you are doing; and
start calling on and insisting upon the separatists observing the
ceasefire around Debaltseve."

In response to Power, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said his
government is not responsible for starting the conflict in eastern
Ukraine.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin: "She accused Russia of starting the
crisis. But did we topple the legally elected president? Throughout all
these events that took place in Ukraine a year ago, Russia kept calling
for a bloodless political solution. We supported the 21st February
agreement. We insisted on its implementation even after the lawfully
elected president was being toppled. We support the communiqué on April
17th calling for constitutional dialogue. We supported the initiative of
the OSCE chair. What was the impetus for the armed conflict? The impetus
was the support by certain Western countries, the decision of the Kiev
leadership to militarily suppress the dissatisfaction of the people in
the east."

 

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