(Updated with comments from Russia and China)
by Michelle Nichols and Humeyra Pamuk
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Russia’s dispatch of what it describes as peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine is “nonsense” and Moscow’s recognition of independence of two separatist regions is part of a desire to find a pretext to carry out an offensive, declared Monday the American ambassador to the UN.
Speaking at an emergency Security Council meeting on the Ukraine crisis, Linda Thomas-Greenfield says the consequences of Russia’s actions will be “disastrous” across Ukraine, across Europe and around the world .
By officially recognizing on Monday the independence of the separatist regions of Louhansk and Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has “ripped the Minsk agreement to shreds”.
“We have made it clear that we don’t think this is going to stop,” the senior diplomat continued.
Vladimir Poutine also ordered Monday the sending of soldiers in the two areas of Donbass in order to “maintain peace”.
“We remain open to a diplomatic solution, but allowing another bloodbath in the Donbass is something we do not intend to do,” said Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.
Also speaking before the Security Council, the Chinese ambassador to the UN called on “all stakeholders to show restraint and avoid any action that could fuel tensions”.
Zhang Jun added that China supports all efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
The emergency meeting of the Security Council had been demanded by Ukraine, a request supported in particular by the United States, Great Britain and France.
It was the third meeting of the Council in as many weeks over the Ukrainian crisis, fueled by the tens of thousands of troops massed by Russia on its border with Ukraine.
Dozens of meetings have been held since Russia annexed the Crime Peninsula in 2014. States, Great Britain, France and China.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes Russia has violated Ukraine’s integrity and territorial sovereignty by recognizing the independence of the two eastern regions of Ukraine, a spokesman has said UN.
Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN’s political affairs chief, told the Security Council that the UN regretted Moscow’s decision to deploy troops to eastern Ukraine for a supposed peacekeeping mission. (Report Michelle Nichols; French version Jean Terzian)