Interfax: Russia expects “responsible approach” from Ukraine to constitutional reform

(Interfax – February 25, 2015)

Moscow hopes that Ukraine will take a responsible approach to the implementation of the obligations undertaken in Minsk and carry out the constitutional reform, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. He was speaking at a meeting with President of the Senate of France Gerard Larcher in Moscow on 25 February, as reported by privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax on the same day.

Lavrov said: “It is of fundamental importance that along with priority attention to tasks to consolidate the process of a ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons, we confirmed the need to carry out all the other provisions of the Minsk agreements of 12 February.

“This includes a political process and the conduct of the constitutional reform, the essence of which should be decentralization. All the parties agreed to this requirement, including Ukrainian representatives.

“We hope that they (Kiev) will take a responsible approach to this obligation, among other undertaken obligations.”