MOSCOW, July 1 (RIA Novosti) - Kiev’s refusal to extend the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is a “negative sign” inconsistent with the peace plan declared by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russia’s envoy to the EU said Tuesday.
“The refusal to extend the ceasefire is, naturally, a negative sign. It’s hard to understand the logic behind combining the confirmation of the so-called 15-step reconciliation plan and the rejection of a ceasefire,” the envoy, Vladimir Chizhov, said.
Russia’s EU envoy said the prior roundtable discussions in Donetsk "gave some hope for the establishment of internal Ukrainian political dialogue,” but the current circumstances only exacerbate the situation. Chizhov noted that, judging by the “real situation on the ground” the clashes never stopped.
Early on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced the move to call off the ceasefire on the grounds that protection of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, safety and the lives of civilians require offensive as well as defensive action against independence supporters.
The Ukrainian National Guard, after the previous ceasefire was cancelled, resumed the active phase of Kiev’s military operation in the area of the Donetsk-Izvarino and Krasnopartizansky-Gukovo border control zones in Luhansk Region, the head of Russia’s Federal Customs Service, Andrei Belyaninov told RIA Novosti earlier the same day.
