MARIBOR, July 8 (RIA Novosti) — Moscow hopes that the European Union will insist on Kiev’s compliance with agreements reached by the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine last week, the Russian foreign minister said Tuesday.
"I hope that during ministerial and other regular meetings of the European Union, including summits, Europe would persistently press for [compliance with] what was agreed in Berlin on July 2," Lavrov said.
Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France held four-party talks in Berlin July 2 and agreed on a range of measures necessary to persuade Ukraine to immediately return to its ceasefire regime.
Lavrov urged his German and French counterparts on Sunday to convene the contact group on Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko announced a ten-day ceasefire at the end of June, but made a decision not to extend it beyond July 1, as the parties had not laid down their arms. Soon afterwards, the security forces launched an offensive against independence supporters in the southeast.
Later, leader of the Donetsk People’s republic Alexander Boroday said that self-defense forces were ready to continue consultations on a ceasefire. One of the stumbling blocks in setting the date of consultations is the possible site of negotiations, Boroday said, noting that he was ready to guarantee the safety of all participants should they choose to hold the talks in Donetsk.
In mid-April, Kiev launched a special military operation in the east of the country to suppress the local independence supporters, who refused to recognize the legitimacy of Ukraine’s new authorities. The violent crackdown has claimed hundreds of lives and forced thousands to flee from southeastern Ukraine.
