Gilmore: Russia’s manufactured conflict with Ukraine poses most serious threat to security in OSCE region since 1990s

“Every single casualty, both military and civilian, is a direct consequence of Moscow’s efforts to destabilize its sovereign neighbor and to obstruct Ukraine on its chosen path of full integration with a democratic Europe.  Russia’s manufactured conflict poses the most serious threat to security in the OSCE region since the 1990s,” U.S. Ambassador to OSCE James Gilmore stated.

Gilmore expressed hope that the agreement on complete ceasefire reached by the Trilateral Contact Group would be implemented and “the reality on the ground will fully reflect a ceasefire… and… there will be compliance with a ceasefire until a full and comprehensive settlement of the Russia-created conflict in eastern Ukraine.”

U.S. Ambassador to OSCE called upon Russia to “direct the forces it arms, trains, finances, leads and fights alongside in eastern Ukraine to cease their harassment of the SMM, and allow the Mission to refresh its staffing in Russia-controlled territory.”

Gilmore underscored that the United States fully supported Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters. “We do not, nor will we ever, recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea. We join our European and other partners in reaffirming that our Minsk-related sanctions against Russia will remain in place until Russia fully implements its Minsk commitments. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns full control of the peninsula to Ukraine,” the U.S. Ambassador to OSCE stated.

As reported, the agreement on complete ceasefire on demarcation line from July 27 was reached at the Trilateral Contact Group meeting on July 22.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 23 that all parties to the Normandy format were expected to sign a document on ceasefire.

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