Ceasefire in Donbas depends on Russia – U.S. representative to OSCE

Deputy Political Counselor of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE Lane Darnell Bahl said this in her speech at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on July 4, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Despite the achievements at the Stanytsia Luhanksa disengagement area, the conflict, which Russia started over five years ago, continues. Eighty-seven Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded in June in the conflict with Russia-led forces – the highest figure in several months. We were saddened to learn that a Ukrainian military medic and her driver were killed July 1 near the line of contact. Russia must do its part to end this intensifying violence," she stressed.

According to her, the United States welcomes the progress made at the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area. “We too encourage the sides to build on this momentum by recommitting to full disengagement at the other designated areas near Zolote and Petrivske, where we have observed some backsliding,” the U.S. representative said.

She also noted that a ceasefire in Donbas depended on the withdrawal of Russian troops.

“The way to end the conflict is through implementation of the Minsk agreements. A lasting ceasefire depends on Russia’s withdrawing heavy weapons, removing its forces, and disarming the proxy forces it leads in eastern Ukraine. The United States would welcome concrete steps from Russia and the forces it arms, trains, leads, and fights alongside towards establishing a lasting ceasefire throughout the conflict zone," Lane Darnell Bahl said.

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