The Ukrainian delegation in the Trilateral Contact Group says that Russia has officially recognized the participation of Russian citizens in the armed conflict in Donbass, reports Korrespondent.
The delegation said so in a statement on Wednesday, October 20.
"We congratulate the Russian representatives on this courageous step: it is difficult to recognize reality after eight years of consistent lies," the statement said.
They also wished "Russian diplomacy strength and inspiration in taking the next hurdle: officially recognizing full responsibility of the Russian leadership for the resolution and continuation of the international armed conflict in eastern Ukraine.
"This is the main key to the beginning of the process of a real peaceful settlement," the delegation added.
The TAG made this statement after the Russian Foreign Ministry commented on the detention of Russian citizen Andrei Kosyak in Ukraine.
They complained that they had not received any notification from Ukraine about the detention of the Russian citizen. "It has been six days, but Kiev has still not fulfilled its obligations under the Consular Convention," the statement said.
"We consider the actions of the Ukrainian side as treacherous and provocative. They undermine the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbass and go against Ukraine's obligations under the bilateral Consular Convention with Russia. Against this background, statements by Kyiv representatives about commitment to the peace process and calls for other countries to comply with international obligations sound false and hypocritical. Those who fail to fulfill their obligations lose the moral right to demand their fulfillment from others," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
They also called on Ukraine to disclose the location of the detained Russian citizen Kosyak and provide access to him by Russian consular officers.
As a reminder, the Trilateral Contact Group for the peaceful settlement of the situation in eastern Ukraine considers the blocking of the work of OSCE mission members in Donbas as a systemic undermining of the authority of the Mission.
