Lasting peace in Ukraine possible only if all root causes eliminated — Security Council

BISHKEK, May 14. /TASS/. A lasting peace in Ukraine is possible only if all the conflict's root causes are eliminated, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu said at the 21st meeting of secretaries of relevant agencies from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states. "The Ukrainian crisis clearly exemplifies double standards. <…> Our position remains unchanged: as President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly highlighted, lasting peace requires eliminating all root causes of the conflict," Shoigu said. Specifically, the Russian Security Council secretary said that Ukraine must return to the non-aligned, neutral, and non-nuclear foundations set out in its 1990 declaration of sovereignty. "Furthermore, we will continue seeking international legal recognition of the territories' return to Russia and the guarantee of all human rights and freedoms," Shoigu said.