The United States has reiterated its call for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to be allowed full observation of the entire border between Russia and Ukraine. Currently, the OSCE's mission is limited to a small section of this extensive border.
Ambassador Baer expressed concerns about the limitations of this mission, stating, “This limited-scope mission, accounting for a mere kilometer of the 2,300 kilometer border between Ukraine and Russia, cannot ascertain the extent to which Russia is participating in or facilitating the flow of illegal arms, funding, and personnel to the separatists it backs in eastern Ukraine.”
Baer also questioned Russia's commitment to adhering to agreements made under the Minsk Protocol. He said, “The ongoing obstruction of the Russian Federation raises serious questions about Russia’s commitment to implement all elements of the Minsk Protocol.”