MOSCOW, April 24 (RIA Novosti) – Washington’s protection of the coup-imposed Kiev authorities is holding back the formation of a national unity government in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.
Washington “is not supporting the creation of a government of national unity in Ukraine as a transfer structure that could take in all the interests from everyone without exception in the regions of Ukraine ... and aid in the work on a new constitution,” Lavrov said after talks with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil.
Lavrov added the current Kiev authorities “have taken power through a coup d’états and stomped all over agreements signed by them in the presence of Europeans."
On February 21, Ukrainian authorities and opposition leaders signed an agreement backed by the European Union on settling the crisis, including the establishment of a national unity government within 10 days.
The next day, Ukraine underwent a regime change resembling a military coup. The country’s parliament ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, changed the constitution and scheduled an early presidential election for May 25.
Moscow has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of these actions and has called on the sides to abide by the February 21 agreement. Eastern and southeastern cities of Ukraine refused to accept the legitimacy of Kiev authorities and have been staging protests since March.
