Ukraine escalation could enter new round if talks are a failure - Russian diplomat
NEW YORK. Feb 9 (Interfax) - A failure of the upcoming summit talks in the Normandy format could further escalate the situation in Ukraine, Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said on Monday.
"There are fears that if the talks in the Normandy format fail, the escalation of the situation in Ukraine could enter a new round," he said on Rossiya 24 television station.
The UN pins great hopes on the Normandy quartet's meeting set for Wednesday, the Russian diplomat said.
"This issue is being intensively discussed in UN corridors. Great hopes are being pinned on the Minsk meeting of the Normandy quartet set for Wednesday," Churkin said.
The final decision on arms supplies to Kyiv will depend on the outcome of these talks, he said.
"This prospect will be tackled depending on the outcome of the Minsk meting," according to Churkin.
Churkin also said that the U.S. could decide to supply arms to Ukraine, but it would contradict a number of provisions in international agreements.
"The U.S. has demonstrated a selective approach to international law on many occasions. Such a decision cannot be ruled out, therefore," he said.
"If the U.S. responds to the Ukrainian government's request and supplies weapons to Kyiv, a host of international agreements will be violated," Churkin said.
