Nikki Haley Blasts Russia in First Remarks at UN Security Council

“Vladimir Putin’s continued aggression toward our allies in the region, and repeated malicious cyber activity against the United States, needs to be dealt with now”, Gardner said in a statement.

U.N. Undersecretary-General Jeffrey Feltman called on global community to help revitalize peace negotiations between Ukraine’s government and the separatists to prevent the current crisis from becoming “a catastrophe”.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation chief Jens Stoltenberg said: “We call for an immediate return to the ceasefire”.

On Friday, global monitor Alexander Hug said ceasefire violations of the Minsk agreement are escalating.

The resolution calls on Russian Federation to stop violating the agreed upon cease-fire, and stop the violence in eastern Ukraine.

They saw rebels on repeated attack against the Kiev-held blue-collar coke plant town of some 20,000 people throughout the week. He called the attack a “war crime”.

Yelchenko is the current Security Council president and said members will be briefed Thursday on the latest flare-up in violence. Advocates for the agreement said that it would have opened up new free trade opportunities, financial assistance, and the promise of increased economic cooperation.

The United Nations’ political chief is calling on the global community to help revitalize peace negotiations between Ukraine’s government and Russian-backed separatists to prevent the current crisis from becoming “a catastrophe”.

The Ukrainian army said Friday’s fatalities included a local woman and an emergency worker in the government-held town of Avdiivka, where mortar and rocket fire were exchanged between the warring sides. He said the damage raises “serious concerns about possible violations of worldwide humanitarian law by all sides”.

“I consider it unfortunate that the occasion of my first appearance is one in which I must condemn the aggressive actions of Russia”, Indian-American Haley said. Since implementation of the so-called political demands of the agreement are impossible without Russia’s withdrawal from the conflict, with this meaning the removal of heavy weaponry and securing of the Russian-Ukrainian border, the ploy is to place the blame for the Minsk failure on Ukraine and give the new United States administration under Donald Trump excuse to withdraw sanctions.

The February 2015 Minsk peace agreement only locked the two sides in a stalemate that has been broken periodically by sharp resurgences of fighting that Kiev and the Kremlin accuse each other of instigating.

Russia’s U.N. Envoy Vitaly Churkin responded negatively to Haley’s comments, arguing for the legitimacy of Russian power in Crimea, established in 2014, following an armed incursion by Russian forces and a snap, unrecognized referendum shortly after. The cease-fire must be honored.

“Russia should use its influence to disengage the Russia-backed separatists”, Tusk said.

At least 33 people including civilians have been killed in fighting this week and several dozen injured.

“We call for the fighting to stop immediately”, allowing the urgent fix of critical infrastructures, the European Union said, adding that full observance of the ceasefire was a crucial step towards the full implementation of the Minsk agreements, “which is the basis for a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the conflict, respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. Two civilians, including a foreign photojournalist, also were hurt, he said. Salvos from multiple grenade launchers were heard during the night, according to the Associated Press.

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