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FM: Situation deteriorates in Ukraine due to opposition’s inability to respect agreements

MOSCOW, February 22, (ITAR-TASS) - After the Ukrainian government and the opposition signed an agreement on February 21 the situation in the country deteriorated sharply “due to the opposition’s inability or unwillingness to respect the agreements, which had been concluded with the active participation of Germany, Poland and France”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

In a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday, Lavrov said, “Illegal extremist groups refuse to surrender arms and take Kiev under their control with the connivance of the opposition leaders in the Verkhovna Rada.”

Lavrov told Kerry, “This issue was thoroughly discussed in the telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama. Putin called on Obama to use all chances to curb radicals’ illegal actions and settle the situation by peaceful means.”

Kerry confirmed that the US was committed to the agreements reached on February 21. He pledged to use all mechanisms to influence the opposition, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.