The US ambassador to the United Nations has accused Moscow of “outright lies” over the financing and arming of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Nobody wants there to be damage to the Russian economy. But those are the consequences that Russia must face in the wake of its aggression.

Addressing an audience in Kiev, Samantha Power warned the Kremlin it would “pay the price” if it continued to violate international law.

Power told the audience: “Nobody wants there to be damage to the Russian economy. But those are the consequences – that is the diplomatic and economic isolation – that Russia must face in the wake of its aggression up to this point and in the event there is further aggression.”

She also called for the Minsk peace agreements

signed in February and September – to be fully implemented.

Russia has repeatedly denied supporting the rebel uprising.

Among those in the audience was the head of a group representing Crimea’s ethnic Tatar people, who was expelled following Russia’s annexing of the region 15 months ago.

Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People said:

“The territorial integrity of Ukraine was broken more than a year ago. Every day Russia continues to violate international law,” he said, adding that the US should also uphold the 1994 agreement guaranteeing Ukraine’s territorial borders.

Reporting from Kiev, euronews’ correspondent Maria Korenyuk told us:

“A United Nations office to support the Minsk agreements is due to open here soon. Its early establishment was one of the aims of Samantha Power’s visit. It will help the UN receive more reliable information that should improve the monitoring of the situation in the east of Ukraine.”