US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Hailey accused Russia of sending its soldiers to Ukraine and confirmed the intention of the US to maintain sanctions against Moscow until it returns the annexed Crimea and withdraws troops from Eastern Ukraine.
"We condemn in the strongest terms the Russian intervention in the east of Ukraine and the attempt of annexation of the Crimea," said Hayley, speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council on Ukraine.
"As in the case of the MH-17 flight tragedy, we ask Russia to recognize a different reality, which all the assembled here know about the truth: Russian soldiers are in Ukraine - not to" protect "Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine, but to establish Russian control over the country, Added the diplomat.
"Until Russia stops its outrageous actions in Ukraine, the US position will not change," she said.. - While Russia does not return the Crimean peninsula under Ukraine's control, US sanctions related to the invasion of the Crimea will remain in force. Until Russia withdraws its forces from Eastern Ukraine and fulfills its obligations under the Minsk agreements, our sanctions in response to its flagrant violations in the eastern part of this country will remain in force ".
Hayley called the conflict in eastern Ukraine "a textbook example of a direct violation of the sovereignty of one UN member state by another".
During the meeting, diplomats were informed about the recent manifestations of instability in the region.
Haley also accused Russia of creating a "disaster from suffering" by supporting separatist groups and violations of their obligations under the international ceasefire agreement.
"Despite her denials, there is no doubt that Russia is the driving force behind the Ukrainian conflict," said Haley.
She also expressed support to Australia and the Netherlands after these countries asked Russia to recognize their involvement in the crash of a Malaysian airline (MN-17), which was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014.
The investigation team last week said that the missile that shot down the passenger plane was fired from a launcher belonging to the Russian 53rd SAM missile brigade.
"Journalists have identified numerous instances of the use of Russian military equipment by Russian-led forces in eastern Ukraine," said Haley. "Unfortunately, they include the delivery by Russia of a missile system that hit a Malaysia Airlines flight 17 in July 2014 - a civilian plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, resulting in the death of all 298 people on board".
"We strongly support the call of Australia and the Netherlands to recognize Russia's role in this tragedy and cooperate in bringing to justice those responsible for the crash of the MN-17 flight," the US diplomat continued..
For his part, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia called Russia's accusations of aggression as propaganda.
"We are not at war with anyone," he said..
The UN Deputy Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo told the UN Security Council that in the east of Ukraine the ceasefire agreements are not being respected and the weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreements are being used.
According to the official website of the United Nations, as a result of the conflict, 2.7 thousand civilians were killed, about 9 thousand were injured, about 1.6 million were displaced persons.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Ursula Muller said that 2.
3 million people living in eastern Ukraine will receive assistance this year, but the scale of funding for UN programs is not sufficient for the tasks that need to be addressed.
DiCarlo noted that Minsk agreements remain the basis for the settlement of the crisis, but they are not fulfilled. She stressed that the UN seeks a peaceful resolution of the conflict provided that Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence are ensured.
Source: Voice of America.