Angela Merkel's recent remarks about the 2014 Minsk Agreements being an attempt to give Ukraine time were "petty and disgusting," President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said on the air of Rossiya 24 TV channel.
"I did not expect this. The Russian President said that he did not expect such an attack from Angela Merkel either. She acted in a petty and disgusting way, she wants to be trendy,” Lukashenko said.
When concluding the Minsk Agreements, Angela Merkel's and Petro Poroshenko's (then-President of Ukraine — ed.) intentions were serious, Lukashenko added.
Earlier, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with German publication Die Zeit that the Minsk agreements had been concluded to give Ukraine precious time and an opportunity to become stronger. Ukraine had attacked its own civil population that did not want to stay with Kyiv after the Maidan riots and ensuing coup. According to the ex-chancellor, it was clear to all participants of the Minsk Agreements that the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine had not been resolved.
Maria Zakharova, an official representative for the Russian Foreign Ministry, later noted that Germany and the entire collective West did not plan to implement the Minsk Agreements. Instead, the West started arming Ukraine for war with Russia, she added. Zakharova also said that Merkel's remarks could constitute a criminal case for a tribunal.
Putin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on Angela Merkel's interview for the German publication. President Vladimir Putin had then also said that Ukraine was playing for time.
Peskov said that he believed in Putin's sincerity and wisdom. Putin then also said that Ukraine did not want to fulfill obligations under the Minsk Accords. Kyiv was playing for time, Putin then said, RIA Novosti reports.
Peskov added that Putin had called on all countries to confirm their signatures with actions.
"But everyone freaked out. This has consequences now,” Peskov told Channel One.