Ukraine PM urges world not to lift sanctions against Russia

Ukraine's Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk is urging countries not to lift sanctions against Russia until his country regains control over its entire territory, including Crimea.

Mr Yatsenyuk was speaking at the annual UN General Assembly of world leaders in New York. 

He demands that Russia pulls back its forces from eastern Ukraine and stop the supply of Russian-led terrorists" and start real peace talks. 

The months-long fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces has been a major theme of speeches at the global assembly this week.

Neither Russian President Vladimir Putin nor recently elected Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is attending the UN assembly.

The Security Council have met repeatedly on the crisis but failed to take action because Russia holds veto power as a permanent council member.

NEWS24