Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 November 2014
28. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, the faltering official ceasefire and the continued build-up of military hardware and personnel in the region. [44966/14]
View answerI am deeply concerned by the significant deterioration in the security situation in the east of the country. Of particular concern is the sharp escalation of hostilities in recent weeks and reports of large movements of tanks, artillery and troops from across the Russian border into rebel held areas, which have threatened progress towards a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
I participated in the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 November, where Ministers had a comprehensive discussion on the situation in Ukraine and the way forward. The Council reiterated the urgent need for all sides to swiftly and fully implement the Minsk agreements and, once again, underlined the responsibility of the Russian Federation in this regard. We called for an immediate halt to the continuous violations of the ceasefire, a withdrawal of all foreign forces and military equipment from Ukraine, as well as a securing of the border between Ukraine and Russia with permanent monitoring by the OSCE.
It is clear that a lasting ceasefire remains central to the success of current efforts to reach a sustainable political solution, based on respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In light of the deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine and the holding of so-called “parliamentary and presidential elections” in Luhansk and Donetsk on 2 November which the EU considers illegal, the Council decided to ask the European External Action Service and the European Commission to present a proposal for additional listings under Phase II sanctions, targeting separatists. A decision will be taken on this proposal at the end of the month.
Together with my EU partners, I also underlined the clear need for intensified talks in the framework of the OSCE Trilateral Contact Group. In this regard, I would like to highlight the vital contribution that the OSCE has made to date in helping to broker the ceasefire agreement and to monitor its implementation in a challenging and sometimes hostile environment. Our continued support for their important work is needed.
In welcoming the parliamentary elections that took place in Ukraine on 26 October, Ministers looked forward to the urgent formation of a new Government. I believe that it is important that Ukraine seize the mandate for reform given by the Ukrainian people and take the opportunity for outreach, national dialogue and reconciliation. I am convinced that sustainable and real progress in the reform programme must be an integral part of the strategy to overcome the current crisis.
