Ukraine once again demands immediate withdrawal of offensive Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from the Ukrainian-Russian state border. Such a step would correspond with the commitments of the Russian Federation to promote de-escalation of tension in the south-eastern regions of Ukraine in the spirit of the Geneva statement of 17 April 2014.
Further concentration of Russian troops at the border with Ukraine, given the current decision of the Council of the Federation on the use of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, poses a real threat to the worsening of situation on the ground in the East of Ukraine. There is a danger that an armed group of pro-Russian forces in this part of Ukraine will use the factor of Russian troops’ presence near the border to provoke their entry onto the territory of Ukraine.
Ukraine stands for peaceful settlement of the situation in Ukrainian south-eastern regions and is determined to implement the Geneva document, having confirmed this by practical deeds.
The presence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in eastern regions of our country focuses exclusively on the protection of citizens, regardless of their nationality. Moreover, their military alert is an appropriate response to the threats of using force and aggression against the territorial integrity of Ukraine, which recently were voiced by officials of the Russian Federation.