Russia accuses EU of "faulty logic"

Russia accuses EU of "faulty logic"

After the decisions by the EU foreign ministers about Ukraine, Russia announced that they were extremely confusing, because the European Union is persistently repeating lengthy press releases which do not correspond with the current situation in the country, reported Itar-Tass.

"It's time for Brussels to stop seeing the substantial part of the Ukrainian people who do not accept the Kiev authorities as 'Russian separatists' and understand that it will be impossible to resolve the conflict without acknowledging its internal nature," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry stressed that the EU should respect the results of the referendums held in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions and assist in initiating dialogue between Kiev and the regions.

"The EU should not forget that since the beginning of May a few things happened that caused the loss of life, when the self-proclaimed Ukrainian authorities have used ultra-radical armed groups, weapons and heavy weapons as part of a counter-terrorist operation against a peaceful population," said the statement.

The ministry asks "how such moves can be referred to as a moderate approach, and even encouraged, welcoming at the same time the alleged calls of Kiev for national dialogue."

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton expressed on Monday "great concern over the continued efforts of pro-Russian separatists to destabilize eastern and southern Ukraine."

"The EU will not recognize any illegitimate and illegal referendums," Ashton said. "Pro-Russian separatists must stop."

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) Didier Burkhalter, meanwhile, agreed that the OSCE should be more involved in the promotion of dialogue "between the interim government and the Ukrainian separatists in the east of the country," Reuters reported.

The two held a telephone conversation and emphasized "the importance of enhancing efforts aimed at resolving the crisis, including facilitating direct dialogue between the authorities in Kiev and representative of Ukraine's southeasters regions," the government in Moscow said.

After Sunday's referendum, the people's republics of Lugansk and Donetsk declared independence, and asked the Russian Federation to accept them as new members. Reports on Tuesday said the two self-proclaimed republics were starting talks on unifying into a single state.