Russia: Sanctions distract from peace

Comments from the West about increasing sanctions against Russia are merely a cover for the failings of a peace agreement reached earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Thursday.

"Behind these calls [for more sanctions] lies the unwillingness of these figures, these relevant countries, the United States, the European Union, to seek the implementation of what was agreed in Minsk," Lavrov said.

"Everyone understands perfectly well that there are no ideal truces and ideal ceasefires," he said, noting the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had reported less fighting in eastern Ukraine.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, France and Germany both indicated that an attack on the city of Mariupol by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine would bring about increased sanctions on Russia.

Mariupol is a city of 500,000 people in southeastern Ukraine on the Sea of Azov, which connects to the Black Sea. If it were captured by the pro-Russian separatists currently occupying parts of eastern Ukraine, a corridor could be created to the Crimean peninsula, which has already been annexed by Russia.

Relative calm in Ukraine

Kyiv, along with Russia and rebel leaders, had agreed to enforce a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine starting February 15, following peace talks in Minsk that were spearheaded by France and Germany.

The Minsk agreement aims to end 10 months of violence that have killed more than 5,600 people.

While the weeks since the agreement was reached have seen continued clashes between the separatists and the Ukrainian army, Wednesday marked a period of relative calm. No deaths were reported on the front for the first time since the Minsk agreement came into force.

Sanctions ready to go

Despite the lull in violence, US Secretary of State John Kerry told American lawmakers on Wednesday that "neither Russia nor the forces it is supporting have come close to complying with their commitments."

"If failure continues, there will be further consequences - consequences that would place added strains on Russia's weakened economy," Kerry continued.

On Tuesday, rebel fighters were reported to be moving their heavy artillery away from the front lines, one of the conditions of the Minsk agreement. Officials from the Ukrainian military said on Tuesday, however, it was still too early to be withdrawing their own artillery from the front lines.

They said they wanted to see two days without fighting before going ahead with the heavy weapons pullback, as rebels ignored the ceasefire last week.

mz/sms (AFP, Reuters, AP)