Belgrade-Sana
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that the Minsk agreements on the Donbas region must be implemented in full, indicating that Kiev's declarations that these agreements are "non-binding" indicate either their intentions that are not related to the principles or their ignorance of the situation on the ground.
"The statements that we hear from Ukrainian officials that these decisions are not binding stem from either duplication or complete ignorance of the issue ... There are many in Ukraine involved in the settlement process only in order to enhance their image, taking advantage of the internal political conflict," Tass news agency quoted Lavrov as telling reporters in Belgrade today. ”
Lavrov stressed that the only (red line) for Russia regarding the settlement process in eastern Ukraine is the need for accurate and full implementation of the Minsk agreements and in the appropriate sequence, calling on Western countries to make efforts to encourage Kiev to adhere to the UN Security Council resolutions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin asked his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelinsky, in a phone call last February to ask whether Kiev is really intending to implement the Minsk agreements.
In another context, Lavrov warned in a joint press conference with Serbian President Alexander Vucic that giving an "artificial push" to the settlement of Kosovo is counterproductive, stressing that the solution to the issue must be in line with international law and be approved by the Security Council.
He said, "We believe that encouraging the so-called final normalization and placing it within artificial timeframes will have counterproductive results," stressing that "Russia's position on the Kosovo settlement remains steadfast ... We will support any moves and any efforts and initiatives that would assist Belgrade and Pristina in practical terms to reach a solution It is applicable and acceptable to both parties on the basis of Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, ”adding that, at Russia’s insistence, it was emphasized in this decision that the territorial integrity of Serbia must be preserved.
Lavrov stressed that Russia is based on the principle that the European Union, which has a mandate from the United Nations General Assembly as a mediator in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, should not evade its obligations, comply with it without prejudice and effectively, and strive to implement the decisions reached earlier.
In turn, Vucic said, "Any final solution to the Kosovo issue will need Russia's approval at the level of the UN Security Council and as a partner to Serbia that has always provided support to it."
He added that he would meet his Russian counterpart within three or four days and said, "We will discuss assessments and opinions on international events and how Serbia can defend its interests in the best possible way ... I wait for meetings with European representatives and after that our government representative will go to talk with Washington."
The Russian President confirmed last year that planning to form (the Kosovo Army) constitutes a violation of international resolutions and leads to instability in the Balkans, explaining that the Kosovo authorities took a number of provocative steps, which exacerbated tension and constituted a violation of UN Resolution 1244, which prohibits the formation of any military forces on The territory of Kosovo, with the exception of the deployment of UN forces, stating that the mediation of the European Union aimed at resolving the outstanding issues between Serbia and Kosovo does not bear fruit.