PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th February, 2020) France regrets the escalation of tensions near the Zolote disengagement area in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas and calls on the parties to the conflict to keep restraint, a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said.
Earlier this week, Kiev and the self-proclaimed republics of Donbas accused each other of using heavy weapons, banned under the Minsk agreements, near Zolote.�
"France regrets intense fighting, which took place near the settlement of Zolote in Ukraine on February 17, 2020, and resulted in new military losses. The violation of the ceasefire and the usage of heavy weapons are not in line with the Minsk agreements and the results of the [Normandy-format] summit of heads of state and government, which was held [in Paris] on December 9," the spokesperson said on late Wednesday.
The Foreign Ministry called on parties to the conflict to keep restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions.
"It [France] calls on Russia to use its significant influence on the military units, which are backed by it, to guarantee the ceasefire implementation," the spokesperson said.
He added that France remained fully committed to the full restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity in its internationally recognized borders.
Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country.
A ceasefire deal between warring parties was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy four states: Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France. Despite this agreement, however, sporadic fighting continues in Donbas.
