(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) US President Barack Obama on Friday spoke via phone to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the two leaders called on Russia to immediately withdraw its forces and facilities from the border region with Ukraine, where the situation has "continued to deteriorate since the tragic downing of the Malaysian airliner last month," the White House said.
Obama and Merkel "agreed that Russia sending a convoy into Ukraine without Ukraine's approval is a further provocation and a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," and expressed concern "that the large numbers of Russian troops on the border of Ukraine, the presence of Russian military personnel in Ukraine, and Russian shelling of Ukrainian territory represent a dangerous escalation." Both leaders further agreed "that it is imperative that Russia remove its convoy from Ukrainian territory, accept the conditions previously agreed to with Ukraine and the International Red Cross for any humanitarian convoys in Ukraine, and de-escalates the situation by removing its military forces from the border region, withdrawing its weapons, vehicles and personnel from the territory of Ukraine, and stopping the flow of Russian personnel, military equipment and armored vehicles into eastern Ukraine." The White House added, "They also stressed the importance of a bilateral ceasefire accompanied by closure of the border and effective border monitoring."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.