Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin stated that the US had been playing a destructive role in the Ukrainian crisis and had been provocative.

UNITED NATIONS, January 22 (Sputnik) — The United States played a destructive role in the Ukrainian crisis , and destabilized situation in the Middle East, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN said.

“Over the whole of the Ukrainian crisis the United States has been playing a destructive role. But actually to call a spade a spade, they've been provocative.” Vitaly Churkin said during the UN Security Council's meeting Wednesday.

He argued that after every visit of high ranking US officials to Ukraine, the Kiev government stepped up the confrontational nature of its activities.

“The current military escalation horrifically coincides with the visit of the commander of the American forces in Europe,” he said.

During the UN Security Council's meeting about Ukraine, US Ambassador Samantha Power said that Russia was flouting the Minsk agreements. Churkin requested and was given the floor to reply.

“Wherever Washington looks — Iraq, Libya, Syria, Ukraine — everywhere we see destabilization, blood, crisis. Maybe the US thinks that Europe doesn't have enough problems and that in the east of the continent there is to be a long drawn out crisis,” the Russian diplomat stated.

Churkin stressed that US prevented the Security Council from making contribution to settling the Ukrainian crisis.

“At the beginning of today's meeting we were supposed to have closed consultations to actually take a look at whether or not the Security Council could make its contribution to settling the Ukrainian crisis. However the delegation of the United States waived its hand and, no,” he said.

Churkin assured that Russia was ensuring compliance with the Minsk agreement.

On September 5, 2014, the Ukrainian independence supporters and Kiev managed to reach a ceasefire agreement with mediation from Russia and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The provisions for the ceasefire implementation were agreed on during the September 19, 2014 Minsk talks. The two warring sides have since accused each other of violating the truce.