Russian FM slams Kiev for turning Minsk agreements 'upside down'

MOSCOW - The Ukrainian parliament's decisions on the special status of Donbass regions in eastern Ukraine are an attempt to turn all previous deals "upside down," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

"The Ukrainian parliament adopted a bill submitted by President Petro Poroshenko which in essence rewrites the agreements," Lavrov said after talks with his visiting Gabonese counterpart.

Ukraine "grossly violated" the agreements reached on Feb.12 during the Normandy Quartet meeting in Minsk, he added.

The top diplomat slammed Kiev for describing the self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine as "occupied territories," calling that "an attempt to turn the agreements upside down."

Lavrov also blasted Kiev for not having tried to enter into dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk regions over the form of the elections there.

The minister said he has called on France and Germany to take joint steps to urge Kiev to fulfill its commitments in the Minsk deal.

The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday voted to pass a bill which amends the law on granting a "special status" and limited self-rule to some areas in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian lawmakers also passed a bill to declare the areas in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-independence rebels as a "temporarily occupied territory" and a separate draft law to demarcate such territories.

Earlier on Tuesday, a representative of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, voiced his criticism over the amendments, saying they violated the Feb. 12 Minsk ceasefire deal.