At UN Security Council Lithuania urged Russia to stop war against Ukraine

Russia launched a war against Ukraine as the latter had dared to choose a different – European – path.

Lithuanian Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite, a sharp Russia critic, accused Russia of waging "an undeclared war" on Ukraine.

During the session of the UN Security Council on November 12, dedicated to discussion on the situation in Ukraine, Lithuania urged Russia to stop war against Ukraine, charter97.org was informed by the Foreign Ministry of Lithuania.

“The conflict in Ukraine is neither a civil war nor a riot of displeased citizens. It is a war of Russia against Ukraine, as the latter had dared to choose a different – European – path,” Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the United Nations Raimonda Murmokaite stated at the session.

Lithuanian representative expressed concern that Russia continues to support separatists, which had been recorded by OSCE (the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) monitors. The OSCE reports that unmarked convoys of trucks, transporting heavy weapons, ammunition and tanks, are crossing the Russian-Ukrainian border and move in the direction of the territory controlled by terrorists.

Ambassador Murmokaite called upon Russia to abide by the Minsk agreements, which also oblige to allow OSCE monitoring over the entire border sector, and stressed that peaceful solution of the eastern Ukrainian crisis lies in the hands of Russia. “While Ukraine observes the ceasefire agreement, separatists supported by Russia use opportunities for arming themselves and capturing territories,” the Lithuanian diplomat noted.

Ambassador Murmokaite has also attracted attention of the UN Security Council that the Russian aggression is mounting outside Ukraine as well. It is demonstrated by abductions of Estonian intelligence officer and Ukrainian pilot, as well as violations of the air space over the Baltic Sea, Portugal, Canada, Japan and the United States.

Other persons who delivered speeches at the session of the UN Security Council were representatives of the UN Department on political issues, representatives of the OSCE monitoring mission and the Trilateral Contact Group, who stressed the necessity to adhere to provisions of the Minsk agreements, and to seek de-escalation of the crisis in the eastern Ukraine. Participants of the session agreed that inability to secure the border control regime between Russia and Ukraine is one of the most important reasons for the conflict’s escalation.