Ukraine at OSCE: Russia blocking progress in talks demanding recognition of its puppets

Russia is making further progress in peace talks with Ukraine recognizing Russian puppets from ORDLO as parties to the conflict, but this will not happen.

Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, said this during an online meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, April 22, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Discussions of the last weeks in the Permanent Council meetings made it abundantly clear that the Russian side takes any further progress on security, humanitarian and political issues dependent on Ukraine’s consent to legitimize the Russian proxies as a party to the conflict. This will not happen," Tsymbaliuk said, commenting on the destructive position of the Russian Federation in the negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

He urged the Russian side to accept this position and to unblock such long overdue tasks as demining, opening of additional checkpoints, new disengagement areas, and release of detainees.

"We also remind the Russian side of the need not to undermine the progress already achieved. In particular, no personnel, weapons, mines or even containers should be present within the existing disengagement areas. We call on the SMM to continue close monitoring of these areas and report on any violations registered," Ukraine's permanent representative to the OSCE said.

He also pointed to Russia's destructive stance, which involves Moscow's refusal to support the joint statement on the need to return to a comprehensive ceasefire.

"Despite Ukraine’s efforts to abide by the ceasefire, we have seen the raising toll among Ukrainian servicemen, in large part caused by targeted sniper fire from Russian positions," Tsymbaliuk said.

As Ukrinform reported, on April 19, advisers to the leaders of the Normandy Four countries called on the Trilateral Contact Group to work on a coordination mechanism to respond to ceasefire violations.

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