Russia and Russia-backed armed separatists in eastern Ukraine cannot be justified for the violation of the Minsk peace agreements.
U.S. Envoy at OSCE Daniel Baer said this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, reports GHN based on Ukrinform.
"Russia influences the separatists in many ways, including material and financial support; it needs to use that considerable influence to get the separatists to honor their commitments made in Minsk. Russia and its proxies signed in Minsk on September 5th, there is no excuse for the violations," he said.
At the same time, he applauded Ukraine for steps it has taken to implement ceasefire commitments and pursue a peaceful resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. He also said that OSCE monitors were on the ground and trying to monitor and verify compliance with the ceasefire.
"Their good-faith efforts must not be thwarted by Russia. It is time for Russian authorities and the separatists they back to fulfill the commitments made in Minsk immediately and allow the OSCE monitors to do their work, including by taking all necessary steps so that the Special Monitoring Mission can monitor the ceasefire and the Ukraine side of the Russia-Ukraine border," the diplomat said.
Baer also expressed concern about the deterioration of the human rights situation in Crimea, including the disappearance of the people, the pressure on the Crimean Tatar community on the pretext of combating "extremism."
"We urge the Russian occupying authorities to cease their harassment of religious and ethnic minority communities, investigate violent crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice, and allow international human rights monitors full access," he said.