MOSCOW, August 1 (RIA Novosti) — Russian Envoy to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on Friday that Moscow is not breaking diplomatic cooperation with Ukraine, but Kiev’s tone leaves much to be desired.
“We talk with our Ukrainian colleagues here [in Brussels], that is the standard of diplomatic dialog. Of course, the things my Ukrainian colleagues announce publicly in Brussels goes beyond all limits, but they obviously are following instructions from their leadership," Chizhov said during a live internet conference between Moscow and Brussels.
“So, like they say, we’re not severing our channels of information exchange or communication. I can’t say that we’re greatly satisfied with them, taking into consideration Kiev’s position, though," Chizhov said.
Relations between Kiev and Moscow worsened further, with the two exchanging accusations of assisting in shooting down a Malaysia Airlines plane on July 17. Kiev and the West blamed Russia for supplying arms to the militia in eastern Ukraine, which were used to down the airliner with 298 people on board. Moscow has said Kiev is responsible for the crash.
The international investigation into the circumstances of the crash is still underway.
The European Union has taken Kiev’s side and Brussels announced earlier this week that it had created further sanctions against five top Russia's banks and eight individuals due to Moscow's role in the Ukrainian conflict. The announcement followed the United States imposing another round of sectoral sanctions, targeting the financial, defense and energy industries.
The crash site has been under fire since mid-April, when Kiev launched a special military operation, aimed at suppressing the independence movement. Moscow has also repeatedly condemned Kiev’s military campaign against the population in the east of the country and urged for an immediate stop to the punitive operation, advocating a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
According to the latest UN report, the conflict has claimed the lives of 1,129 civilians since mid-April, with another 3,442 injured.
