The EU condemns the use of heavy weapons and the indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas in eastern Ukraine, which is a clear violation of the Minsk agreements, and calls on Russia to de-escalate tensions.
“The massive concentration of forces from Russia in and around Ukraine remains very worrying. “The EU urges Russia to de-escalate with a substantial withdrawal of forces from Ukraine’s borders,” said EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
“This escalation is now exacerbated by the increase in ceasefire violations along the line of contact in eastern Ukraine in recent days. The EU condemns the use of heavy weapons and the indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, which is a clear violation of the Minsk agreements and international humanitarian law. We applaud Ukraine’s restraint in the face of ongoing challenges and destabilization efforts. We support the proposal of the OSCE Special Representative to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Tripartite Contact Group (TRG) in order to defuse the current tensions and call on all participants in the TOE to participate in this much-needed effort to address the current crisis. , states in his position the High Representative of the EU.
He noted that “the EU is extremely concerned that setbacks, such as the recent ones, could be used as a pretext for a possible military escalation”, and that “the EU is witnessing an intensification of intelligence manipulation efforts to support such targets”. In this context, the EU expresses its support for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, whose observers play a key role in de-escalation efforts. “This mission must be empowered to carry out its mandate without restriction on its free movement for the benefit of the people of eastern Ukraine,” the statement said.
“The EU sees no ground for allegations coming from the uncontrolled Donetsk and Luhansk regions about a possible Ukrainian attack. “The EU urges Russia to engage in meaningful dialogue, diplomacy, self-restraint and de-escalation.”
“Any further military attack by Russia against Ukraine will have enormous consequences and serious costs in response, including restrictive measures in coordination with partners.”
“The EU reiterates its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders,” the statement said.
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