Interfax: Duma urges West not to meddle in situation in Ukraine so as not to worsen crisis – statement

MOSCOW. Jan 22 (Interfax) – The Russian State Duma has called on the West not to worsen the situation in Ukraine through interfering in its internal affairs and urged the Ukrainian opposition to start a dialogue with the government.

“The State Duma is calling on Western political circles, which are interfering in the sovereign Ukraine’s internal affairs in violation of international law, to stop promoting the conflict’s continued escalation,” the Duma said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The Duma believes that the political crisis in Ukraine was provoked by both extremist forces in the Ukrainian opposition and some Western politicians, whose interference is only contributing to the conflict’s continued escalation.

“Apart from the members of the extremist part in the opposition, responsibility for the exacerbation of the situation in Ukraine rests also with Western policymakers grossly interfering in the sovereign Ukraine’s internal affairs and speaking at rallies arranged by the opposition. The State Duma warns once again that it is unacceptable to put pressure on Ukraine from the outside and impose a geopolitical choice in favor of association with the European Union on it,” the statement says.