Russia is escalating the military confrontation in eastern Ukraine despite the Russian leadership's statements that they are seeking a moderating role, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt has said during an interview with CNN.
“The fact is, we have worked through every diplomatic channel
available to us. We have exercised economic leverage. But so far, and
sadly – although there have been occasional positive statement from
Moscow – the actions are going in the wrong direction at this point. The
actions, incredibly, are heading towards escalation of the crisis,”
Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt said.
However, he said that the conflict in eastern Ukraine raged on even after Malaysian Boeing crash.
“It’s simply incredible, but it’s an established fact that even after
the shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines flight, you still have
heavy weapons, tanks, rocket systems moving across the border from
Russia, enflaming the conflict, escalating the military confrontation,
at a time when [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko has made very
clear his desire to find a political solution,” the ambassador said.
According to him, “most of the leaders of the ‘Donetsk republic’
today are Russian citizens; they’re Russian passport holders. Several of
them are Russian intelligence operatives.”
“One of the most striking characteristics of this crisis to me has
been how the Kremlin has weaponized information. How the Kremlin has
used this information warfare to sow fear,” Pyatt said.
According to him, as European leaders in Brussels discuss how far
they are willing to go in tightening the economic screw on Russia, the
United States would make sure Moscow is punished.
“We, certainly, the United States, have made it clear that if this
direction does not change, we are prepared to further raise the costs
that Russia and the Kremlin pays for its aggression,” ambassador said.
In addition, when commenting on the statement by former U.S.
Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul that “West has to stop trying to
change [Russian president Vladimir] Putin’s mind, and focus more on
helping Ukraine succeed, including on the battlefield,” Pyatt said: “Our
view at this point is that there is no real military solution to this
crisis. It has to be solved through political means.”
“Ukraine cannot change its geography. It needs to find a modus vivendi with Russia,” he said.
Besides, Pyatt added: “We’re going to continue to provide military
support to Ukraine with a view to helping this country to defend
itself.”
“But it can’t defeat Russia, and frankly it won’t be able to achieve
the political solution that President Poroshenko seeks as long as the
Russian military is maintaining training camps in Rostov and sending
tanks and rocket launchers across the border every night,” the U.S.
ambassador said.
