“We are not seeking conflict with Russia, no one is: not President Poroshenko, not the United States, not the European Community,” he said. “We want a diplomatic resolution.”
Kerry stated that the United States cannot "turn a blind eye" to Russia's alleged support of one of the warring sides in the Ukrainian conflict.
Kiev launched a military operation in eastern Ukraine last spring, following local residents" refusal to recognize the new coup-installed government. Ukrainian armed forces and the independence supporters managed to reach a ceasefire agreement, yet the clashes continue in the region. The confrontation intensified in the first month of 2015, with dozens of civilians losing their lives in the armed conflict.
The United Nations estimates that over 5,000 have been killed in the fighting, while some 1.4 million residents of southeastern Ukraine desperately need humanitarian assistance.
