He said European monitors on Wednesday reported over 10,000 explosions in the eastern Donetsk region over 24 hours, the highest number ever recorded.
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Haley was speaking at an emergency United Nations meeting about a sudden upsurge in violence in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting the Ukrainian army forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday accused Ukraine of starting the escalation to rally support from the new USA administration and other Western powers.
A recent wave of shelling has killed at least seven people and injured a further 41, according to UN Human Rights Office staff. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, meanwhile, was investigated for calls he made to Russia’s ambassador to the US. It was not immediately clear when those updates would come.
During her Senate confirmation hearing last month, Haley also expressed support for continuing the sanctions and accused Russian Federation of committing war crimes in the Syrian conflict. The new president has called North Atlantic Treaty Organisation “obsolete” and challenged America’s allies to take on greater responsibility for defending themselves, while raising the possibility of a new era of U.S.
But the horrific fighting in Ukraine was not the only development involving Trump and Russian Federation in the aftermath of the nom-recorded phone call.
While Trump’s United Nations ambassador accused Russia of responsibility for an increase in violence throughout eastern Ukraine, Russia blamed Ukraine for engaging in “barbarism” against civilians.
Yelchenko said the latest attacks underscore attempts by Russian Federation and the separatists to undermine the peace process and called for an enhanced global security presence on the ground “to prevent such provocations in future”.
Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department said the fighting, which erupted last Sunday at an industrial park outside Avdiivka, had left 17,000 civilians, including 2,500 children, without water, heat or electricity.
Haley called for an immediate end to fighting and “full and immediate implementation” of the Minsk agreement.
“The United States stands with the people of Ukraine who have suffered for almost three years under Russian occupation and military intervention”, she said.
Ukrainian officials and aid agencies have warned of a possible major humanitarian crisis, declaring a state of emergency in the town. “We also reaffirm USA support for full implementation of the Minsk agreements”.
The day before Tillerson’s confirmation, however, the State Department did release a few, carefully worded sentences that failed to even mention Russian Federation, and instead reaffirmed Washington’s support for the so-called Minsk agreements, a peace plan that’s done little to stop the violence.
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The penalties against Russian Federation also posed difficulties for Exxon Mobil under then-CEO Rex Tillerson, Trump’s incoming secretary of state, raising suspicions about his commitment to keeping the sanctions. “Russia’s behavior must be met with strength in the form of aggressive sanctions to show the world that its actions will not be tolerated”. The message of condemnation was a rare sign from the Trump administration that it does not support Russian military ambitions overseas.
