Putin says open to dialogue with Ukraine, but in reality this is not the case – U.S. Mission to OSCE
According to an Ukrinform correspondent, Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Courtney Austrian at the U.S. Mission to the OSCE said this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council.
"President Putin wrote Russia was 'open to dialogue with Ukraine and ready to discuss the most complex issues.' We regret Mr. Putin's alleged promise of open dialogue has yet to be demonstrated in reality," she said, commenting on Putin's article about Ukraine.
According to Austrian, what everyone has witnessed is "Russian obstructionism in the Trilateral Contact Group" and "its lack of transparency and deliberate peddling of disinformation at international bodies, including the OSCE."
In general, Putin's article on Ukraine contains "untruthful characterizations and assertions, calculated to provoke" and seeks "to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and dismiss the right of the Ukrainian people to chart their own political future," Austrian said.
She also said that last week the Russian ambassador again tried to obfuscate his nation's responsibility in the conflict by claiming Ukraine has not adhered to the Minsk agreements. "He failed to recall that seven years ago in Minsk, President Putin promised the war would end, all troops would be withdrawn, and all prisoners would be released. Russia has so far not fulfilled its promise, and we continue to call on Russia to end the war it started in eastern Ukraine," Austrian said.
Commenting on Putin's piece that Russia "respect[s] the Ukrainians' desire to see their country free, safe, and prosperous," Austrian said that Putin was well aware "that aspiration cannot be fully realized as long as Russia-led forces continue to wreak havoc in the Donbas and occupy Crimea." "Indeed, the whole aim of the Kremlin's aggression in Ukraine is thwarting Ukraine's aspirations," the U.S. diplomat said.
She added that if Russia wishes to be seen as a partner, "Russia needs to act responsibly and fulfill its promises." "Under the Minsk agreements Russia committed to recalling its forces and equipment from eastern Ukraine," she said.
op
