MOSCOW, May 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia should accept the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) verdict on results of the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday.
"I expect that Russia will no doubt accept the objective verdict of the OSCE [on presidential election], since it is also a member of the organization," Merkel said in an interview to the German newspaper Saarbrücker Zeitung.
Merkel also expressed regret over the fact that Russia has refused to send its observer to Ukraine as part of the OSCE mission. In addition, the German Chancellor said that “it seems difficult [for Russia] to accept that Ukraine is following its own independent way."
Russian Central Election’s Commission said earlier that they had received no invitation from Ukraine to send observers to the presidential election.
Previously, Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Ukraine must implement the roadmap of the OSCE and halt domestic military actions or the upcoming presidential election may aggravate the crisis in the country.
Ukraine saw a regime change in February when the country’s parliament, backed by far-right movements, voted to strip President Viktor Yanukovych of his powers, amended the constitution and scheduled early presidential election for May 25. A total of 23 candidates were registered to take part in the vote, but several candidates later withdrew.
In the run-up to the elections, federalist and nationalist forces have clashed in several deadly skirmishes in the south and east of the country, especially in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which declared independence after referendums earlier this month. Pro-federalization activists have refused to participate in the upcoming election and accused Kiev of launching special operations involving military helicopters in the regions.
The Kiev authorities said Thursday that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have isolated the areas controlled by the self-defense forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in order to ensure the conduct of the presidential election.
