U.S. urges Russia to pressure Ukraine rebels over attacks
PARIS, March 4 (Reuters) -- Russia needs to use its influence on separatists in eastern Ukraine to halt attacks by pro-Russian rebels, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Reuters on Friday.
The Minsk peace deal, reached in the Belarussian capital in February 2015, has stalled as attacks have increased in the east where Ukrainian government forces face off against the rebels.
"What we've seen in the last couple of weeks is an increase in violent attacks along the line of control ... and whether that is being instigated by Russia, or acquiesced to by Russia, doesn't matter," Blinken said in an interview in Paris.
"The Russians have tremendous leverage over the separatists. If they want to turn it (the violence) off they can and indeed they must," he added.
Blinken said implementing the Minsk peace agreement was the only way forward and was in the interest of all sides, including the Russians who are suffering Western sanctions because of their involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.
Talks on Thursday in Paris, including the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers, as well as their French and German counterparts, produced no breakthrough, according to the Ukrainian foreign minister.
EU Extends Sanctions Against Yanukovych, 15 Associates
By RFE/RL
The European Union has extended an asset freeze against former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and 15 of his close associates for alleged misappropriation of state funds.
The restrictive measures, put in place two years ago after Yanukovych fled Ukraine during the Euromaidan protests against his government, were extended until March 6, 2017.
Other prominent figures on the EU blacklist include two former prime ministers, Mykola Azarov and Serhiy Arbuzov, and the former head of Yanukovych’s presidential administration, Andriy Kliuiev.
Former Health Minister Raisa Bohatyriova was removed from the blacklist after returning stolen assets to Ukrainian authorities.
EU ministers approved the extension of the sanctions at a meeting in Brussels on March 4.
The decision became official after being published in the EU's official journal on March 5.