Ukraine calls on Russia to stop escalation and return to negotiating table

"I want to emphasize once again that Ukraine remains committed to the Minsk agreements and the peaceful settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. We call on Russia to join the discussion of ways to withdraw its troops from Donbas and Crimea. We call on the Russian leadership to refrain from a new military attack on Ukraine and to return to the negotiating table," Kuleba said at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Stockholm on December 2, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

Kuleba also called on Russia to refrain from attempts to destabilize Ukraine from within.

In addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stressed that the Kremlin's unwillingness to respect the rights of sovereign states to freely choose their future remains a key challenge to the stability in Europe.

"Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine has led to an unprecedented crisis of confidence in the organization [OSCE]. The Kremlin's unwillingness to respect the right of sovereign states to freely choose their future and security arrangements remains a key challenge to the stability in Europe," he said.

Kuleba added that Moscow's repeated refusals to demonstrate constructive involvement as a party to the conflict in the Trilateral Contact Group and the Normandy format highlighted Russia's lack of political will to resolve the conflict.

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