The sides should do their utmost to ease people’s suffering in eastern Ukraine, says OSCE Chief Monitor in Ukraine

People in eastern Ukraine deserve peace and the sides should do their utmost to ease the people’s suffering, said Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan while visiting Donetsk and Luhansk regions on 28-30 August 2016.

The Chief Monitor reiterated that civilians continue to pay a heavy price in the conflict. “The ceasefire should be implemented so that repair work to critical infrastructure can be carried out. The sides should intensify their efforts and take all necessary measures to bring normality to the people.”

Ambassador Apakan met with the Heads of the Luhansk and Donetsk Regional State Military-Civilian Administrations to discuss the security situation in the regions. He reassured them that the Mission within its mandate is ready to facilitate dialogue and contribute towards stability and the establishment of a long-lasting peace in eastern Ukraine.