Klimkin: Russia wants to legalize its control over the Donbas
The number of victims of Russia’s military aggression in the Donbas has reached 10,000 while Moscow uses the war as a mechanism to put pressure on Europe, as was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pavlo Klimkin, speaking at the OSCE Ministerial Meeting, a correspondent from Evropeyskaya Pravda reported from Hamburg.
"The number of victims of the Russian war against Ukraine has increased to 10,000 people. Hundreds remain illegally imprisoned in the occupied territories in the Crimea. Nearly 1.7 million Ukrainians had to leave their homes and become internally displaced," he said.
Klimkin states that during negotiations on the settlement of the situation in the Donbas, Russia puts pressure on European partners by threatening to escalate the conflict.
“When Russia agrees to the ceasefire only after political concessions by Ukraine, and under these concessions they seek the legalization of Russia’s control in the Donbas, it is unacceptable for us and completely contradicts the Minsk Agreements” the Ukrainian Foreign Minister stressed.
When speaking at the OSCE meeting, Pavlo Klimkin stated that sanctions against Russia should remain in force until Russia leaves the Crimea.