CAMEROON, Cameroon — The U.N. Security Council is expected to adopt a statement Wednesday encouraging all parties in Ukraine to “recommit” to a 2015 peace agreement and expressing “grave concern” at deteriorating security in the volatile east. Russia, which has veto power in the council, has been in a tug-of-war with Ukraine since Moscow’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in early 2014 followed by its support for separatist rebels in the east. But diplomats said all 15 council members agreed late Tuesday on the presidential statement, which would be the first pronouncement by the council on Ukraine since January 2017. The conflict in the east erupted after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and has killed more than 10,000 people. “The killing, destruction and immense suffering continues” and “eastern Ukraine is facing a serious humanitarian crisis.”The draft presidential statement would for the first time mention the humanitarian situation.

Source: National Post June 05, 2018 22:57 UTC