ZURICH (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday he joined his European counterparts in condemning an assault by pro-Russian separatists on Mariupol, Ukraine, and he called on Russia to end its support for the rebels.
"It is reprehensible that the separatists are publicly glorifying this and other offensives in blatant violation of the Minsk agreements they signed," Kerry said in a statement issued while on a visit to Zurich.
He said the separatists' assault has been aided by Russia's "irresponsible and dangerous decision to resupply them in recent weeks with hundreds of new pieces of advanced weaponry, including rocket systems, heavy artillery, tanks, armoured vehicles, in addition to continuing operational command and control."
"We call on Russia to end its support for separatists immediately, close the international border with Ukraine, and
withdraw all weapons, fighters and financial backing. Otherwise, U.S. and international pressure on Russia and its proxies will only increase," Kerry added.
(Reporting by Warren Strobel; Editing by Eric Beech and Frances Kerry)
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