High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini says that the EU is ready to increase its support for Minsk implementation and to sustain a possible OSCE mission to bolster the security of local elections in Donbas, eastern Ukraine.
”The European Union is ready to increase its support for the implementation of the Minsk agreements, including our commitment to the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. We are also ready to sustain a possible OSCE mission to bolster the security of local elections and to contribute to reconstruction efforts,” she said at the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Meeting in Hamburg on December 8.
In her words, the European Union has given its full support to international efforts to bring about the full implementation of the Minsk agreements: these efforts include the ”Normandy” format, the Trilateral Contact Group and the multi-faceted OSCE presence, in particular through the Special Monitoring Mission.
”The full implementation of the agreements can pave the way for a sustainable political solution to the conflict, in full respect for Ukraine`s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity. We stress the need for full, safe and unhindered access by the OSCE Monitoring Mission to the whole territory of Ukraine, including its border with Russia, as well as for the geographical expansion of the OSCE Observer Mission at the Russian checkpoints,” she said.
She reiterated that Russia`s illegal annexation of Crimea and the destabilising actions in eastern Ukraine were in flagrant violation of the OSCE principles and international law.
”The European Union will not recognize the annexation and will continue to call for it to be reversed. Likewise, we will continue to call for respect for the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and full implementation from all sides of the Minsk agreements,” she said.
