While Trump’s UN ambassador accused Russia of responsibility for an increase in violence throughout eastern Ukraine, Russia blamed Ukraine for engaging in “barbarism” against civilians.

President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, criticized Russia on Thursday, in her first address to the UN Security Council, for an uptick in violence throughout eastern Ukraine between the Ukrainian military and many pro-Russian separatist forces.

“I consider it unfortunate on the occasion of my first appearance here I must condemn the aggressive actions of Russia,” Haley said. “We do want to better our relations with Russia. However, the dire situation in eastern Ukraine is one that demands clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions.”

For his part, European Union President Donald Tusk has called upon Russia to “use its influence to disengage the Russian-backed separatists.”

The Russian government, however, has accused the Ukrainian government of “barbarism” and violating the Geneva conventions by shelling civilian areas.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien implied that civilians in government controlled-territory and separatist-controlled territory were suffering in the upsurge of violence over the past few days.

“Civilians living on both sides of the frontline are not only traumatized, living a precarious and dangerous existence, but damage to critical services is making survival an issue,” said O’Brien, referencing damage to infrastructure such as heating systems at a time when temperatures are below-freezing levels.

The civil war in Ukraine that has raged for 3 years following Russia’s annexation of Crimea has taken the lives of approximately 10,000 people, more than 2,000 of whom were civilians.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

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