Ukraine leader rails against Russia at UN
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko railed against Russia at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, urging Moscow to give peace a chance in a more than two-year conflict in eastern Ukraine.
"Never since the end of the Cold War have international norms and principles been unilaterally defied on such a scale and with such brutality," he told the Assembly with rhetorical flourish.
The pro-Western leader called global instability "the biggest threat facing humanity," repeatedly taking aim at Moscow with a war between pro-Russian rebels and Kiev now in its third year.
Russia is directly involved in financing, sponsoring and coordinating "terrorist groups" in Ukraine and "armed to the teeth" around 38,000 troops operating in the east, Poroshenko said.
"Russia keeps sending weapons, ammunition and manpower to Ukraine," he said. "On a daily basis."
"Even hypocrite Soviet leaders could hardly compete with the outright lies and manipulations deployed by the Kremlin," he added, calling on Russia to "give the comprehensive settlement a chance."
"Ukraine has done a lot and will continue doing its part. Now it is time for Russia and its proxies... to start implementing their part," Poroshenko said.
"Set the captives free, stop shooting, withdraw weapons, let the OSCE carry out its mandate and watch over the Ukrainian-Russian border without hindrance, withdraw Russian weaponry as well as regular and irregular military units."
Negotiators sent by Kiev and pro-Russian rebels agreed for the first time to pull back troops from three areas along the front line in east Ukraine, OSCE envoy Martin Sajdik said Wednesday.
It marks a small step forward in Ukraine's stalled peace talks.
The conflict began after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014.
Kiev and the West accuse Russia of fueling the conflict, which has killed more than 9,640 people. Russia denies government involvement.
A peace deal brokered by Germany and France in February 2015 reduced the intensity of fighting but failed to stop it.