Press Statement of Special Representative Grau after the regular Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 31 March 2021

KYIV, 31 March 2021 — The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

“According to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission’s assessments, the average number of ceasefire violations continues to remain well below the levels recorded prior to the entry into force of measures to strengthen the ceasefire in July 2020.

The recent increase in the number of ceasefire violations, the effectiveness of the measures to strengthen it as well as the general security situation in the conflict zone were the subject of extensive discussions in the Security Working Group and in the TCG.

At the same time, the sides stressed the importance of full compliance with the “Measures to strengthen the ceasefire” agreed by the TCG on July 22, 2020. This is particularly important to eliminate the residual violations of the ceasefire.

Despite the divergence on procedural issues, the participants of the Political Working Group discussed certain aspects of the action plan in full compliance with the Minsk agreements being developed under the tasking given by the TCG.

The Humanitarian Working Group was focused on the simultaneous opening of new crossing points near Zolote and Shchastia of the Luhansk region. This is what the civilians on both sides of the contact line have long been waiting for.

The mutual release and exchange of conflict-related detainees was also raised in the course of the deliberations.

Participants of the Economic Working Group discussed issues related to pensions and social benefits to the residents of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADLR) of Ukraine.

Also, topical issues of water supply across the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, environmental questions as well as the provision of mobile communication in CADLR were duly considered.”