London – AFP
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, during a phone call with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Wednesday, that there is “little evidence” of the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukrainian border, according to a statement from his office.
A Downing Street spokesman said in the statement that Johnson and Guterres concluded that any Russian invasion of Ukraine would have “catastrophic” consequences, and decided to continue working together to find an “urgent diplomatic solution” and “avoid a catastrophic military escalation and humanitarian crisis.”
The statement added that Johnson and Guterres reminded that it is the responsibility of states “to comply with their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of members of the United Nations.”
The statement stressed the need for “the parties to work in good faith for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”, which provide for a road map that will eventually guarantee the return of the separatist regions in eastern Ukraine to the authority of the Kiev government.
