Press Statement of Special Representative Grau after the regular Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk on 14 May 2020

KYIV, 14 May 2020 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group, Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the meeting of the TCG ‎and its working groups:

“The current development of the security situation in the conflict zone in the east of Ukraine raises concern.

Over the last three weeks since our previous meeting, a spike in ceasefire violations could be observed. The figures of civilian casualties, including children, has also dramatically increased, likewise the scale of destruction of civilian infrastructure and property.

Such a development is absolutely unacceptable. I urge the signatories of the Minsk Agreements, following the decisions of the Normandy Four Summit in Paris, to exert their utmost efforts in order to agree on and reaffirm a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire.

It is also unacceptable to anyhow restrict access of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission that, in accordance with its mandate, covers the entire territory of Ukraine, including for the purpose of monitoring and verification of compliance with the ceasefire.

All of these issues were in the focus of the Security Working Group. In the course of discussion, the Coordinator called on the sides for their utmost restraint, to stabilize the situation in the conflict zone.

Also, the Working Group discussed questions related to the identification of additional disengagement areas of forces and hardware as well as working out and implementation of the updated demining plan.

The Political Working Group considered aspects related to the special status of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and implementation of the ‘Steinmeier formula’, as foreseen by the Minsk Agreements.

The Humanitarian Working Group discussed the preparation of the next release and exchange of conflict-related detainees, as well as issues of simultaneous opening of additional entry-exit crossing points (EECPs) on the line of contact.

The Economic Working Group addressed pressing issues of water supplies across the line of contact.”