G7 and EU demanded that Russia “cease provocations” on border with Ukraine

The G7 foreign ministers (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States) and the high representative of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, were “deeply concerned” on Monday on the continued high concentration of Russian military forces on the borders with Ukraine and Crimea, “illegally annexed” in 2014.

“These large-scale troop movements, without prior notification, represent threatening and destabilizing activities.”said the heads of European diplomacy and the G7 countries in a joint statement.

They also appealed to Russia so that “he ceases his provocations and immediately reduces the tensions” in accordance with its international obligations.

In particular, they asked the government of Vladimir Putin to respect the principles and commitments of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that it has signed on the transparency of military movements and to respond to the established procedure. in Chapter III (Risk Reduction) of the Vienna Document on Confidence and Security Building Measures.

G7 ministers and the EU High Representative recalled their last statement of March 18, in which they reaffirmed its “unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders” and they supported Ukraine’s “moderate” stance.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dimitri Kuleba, meets this Tuesday the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, in Brussels, a few days after announcing to the agency EFE that your country’s entry into this alliance is the only solid guarantee of security in Europe, in the midst of tension with Russia.

The heads of European diplomacy and of the G7 countries, for their part, underlined the “strong” recognition and “continued support” for the efforts of France and Germany through the Normandy process to ensure full implementation. of the Minsk agreements, that it is the “only way forward for a lasting political solution to the conflict. “

In addition, they urged all parties to participate constructively in the Trilateral Contact Group on OSCE Proposals to confirm and consolidate the ceasefire.

The Kremlin assured the day before that “no one” intended to go to war with Ukraine, after the country denounced an increase in the Russian military presence on the border and an increase in tension in the Donbass, where since 2014 the army faces Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists.

A total of 26 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed by Russian-backed separatists in the Donbass so far this year., despite a ceasefire in force in eastern Ukraine, the latest being a 24-year-old soldier on Saturday.

Kiev on Saturday called for an OSCE meeting for Russia to explain the increase in its military presence on the border with Ukraine, but Moscow refused to participate, diplomatic sources said.

Ukraine, which fears the Kremlin is looking for a pretext to attack it, accuses Russia of concentrate more than 80,000 soldiers near its eastern border and in the Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014. According to the latest estimates, some 41,000 Russian troops are in eastern Ukrainedeclared Monday at AFP Presidential spokesperson Yulia Mendel. In Crimea, 9,000 soldiers were recently added to the 33,000 already presenthe added.

Faced with the resurgence of fighting, the Ukrainian president,Volodomir Zelensky, requested a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 26, but has yet to receive a response, Mendel said.

In addition, Zelensky went to the border a few days ago and visited the trenches.

Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russian separatist rebels, organized in the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk (unrecognized by the international community), since 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula and began supporting the separatists of the region. More than 14,000 people have died in the conflict and attempts to reach a negotiated solution have so far failed..

With information from EFE and AFP

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