Volker: Russia has been violating the Minsk Agreements every day for the last four years
US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker stated on Twitter that Russia has long been violating the Minsk Agreements without cease.
"Four years ago, Russia signed the Minsk Package of Measures with the first point being a February 14 ceasefire. About a week later Russia and its proxy forces seized Debaltseve,” Volker said. "In the four years since, Russia has continued to violate the Minsk Agreements every day.”
On February 12, 2015, because of negotiations in Minsk, participants of the Trilateral Contact Group signed the "Complex of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements.". These measures stipulated an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the withdrawal of heavy weapons by both parties at an equal distance.
The agreements provided for Ukraine eventually regaining full control over the state border and for the withdrawal of Russian mercenaries and illegal armed groups and equipment from the Donbas.
In late January, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine Martin Sajdik discussed the new plan of peaceful settlement of the conflict in the Donbas that could replace the Minsk Agreements. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, the peace plan has no principal differences from the Minsk Agreements and requires further development.