ISTANBUL

Russia’s UN ambassador on Monday criticized the failure to implement the Minsk agreements of 2015, saying their collapse contributed to the ongoing instability in Ukraine.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting marking the 10th anniversary of the resolution endorsing the agreements, Vassily Nebenzia said the accords were meant to restore stability in eastern Ukraine but were ultimately undermined.

“The hope for a lasting peace that emerged when the agreements were signed never materialized,” he said, adding that the accords — meant to calm the conflict in eastern Ukraine after Russia took over Crimea in early 2014 — had become synonymous with “failure” and “deception.”

He argued that Kyiv had no intention of fulfilling the agreements and accused Ukrainian authorities of obstructing negotiations. He also cited statements from former Ukrainian officials reportedly showing that they viewed the accords as a way to buy time rather than a binding commitment.

Nebenzia also claimed that Western countries used the agreements as a “smokescreen” to arm Ukraine, citing past comments by former European leaders suggesting the deals were never meant to be fully implemented.

The Russian envoy asserted that Ukraine’s leadership missed opportunities to resolve the crisis through diplomacy and instead pursued confrontation.

He also suggested that Western nations ignored early signs of Kyiv’s unwillingness to implement the accords, leading to a broader escalation.

The Minsk agreements, brokered in 2015 by France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine, aimed to de-escalate the conflict in eastern Ukraine, bordering Russia, by granting special status to certain regions and establishing a ceasefire. However, the agreements were never fully implemented, with both sides blaming each other for violations.

Russia’s 2014 takeover of Crimea is viewed as illegal by the UN General Assembly, the US, the European Union, and Türkiye, among others. Some analysts call it a precursor for the current Ukraine war.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine sharply escalated on Feb. 24, 2022 — nearly three years ago — when Moscow launched what it calls a “special military operation.” Kyiv and its allies condemned the move as an unprovoked invasion.

At the UN session, Nebenzia suggested that the recent shift in US leadership under President Donald Trump could present new diplomatic opportunities to end the conflict. He called for lessons to be learned from the failure of the Minsk process and warned that ignoring them could lead to further instability.

The Security Council session came as fighting in Ukraine continues, and also follows Trump discussing the Ukraine war last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, catching Kyiv and its allies off guard.