The United States will not recognise the results of pro-Russian separatists’ elections in eastern Ukraine, a senior U.S. diplomat has said on Wednesday in Moscow.
U.S. Undersecretary of State in charge of Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland told newsmen, according to a transcript provided by the U.S. embassy.
“A bunch of guys out there just deciding to hold an election is not going to lead to peace and security,’’ Nuland said.
Nuland said she had met with Russian presidential senior adviser Vladislav Surkov to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement for eastern Ukraine.
She said that Western sanctions against Russia could be removed only after the conditions of the ceasefire agreement were implemented in full.
“We think that it is now time to really step on the gas and see this implemented,’’ Nuland said, adding that it would not only help Ukraine but also U.S.-Russian relations.