Press Statement of Special Representative Kinnunen after the regular Meeting of Trilateral Contact Group on 24 November 2021

KYIV, 24 November 2021 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

The security situation along the contact line is highly volatile. SMM reports on damage to civilian houses and infrastructure on both sides of the contact line caused by heavy weapons. The average number of daily cease-fire violations has exceeded figure before entering into force of the Measures to strengthen the ceasefire in July 2020. The impasse related to the the provision of security guarantees has become a major issue for activities along the contact line and complicates the life of civilians as well as the work of SMM.

Facts gathered by SMM are crucial for the work of the TCG. De facto, the Mission is an important part in the conflict management. Freedom of movement is a prerequisite for the Mission’s work, the increasing number of impediments makes it difficult for SMM to establish and report facts in response to specific incidents.

Participants in the Political Working Group remain in their respective positions making it challenging to have an exchange on substance related to the development of a single Plan of Action.

In the Security Working Group the participants predominantly focused on the issue of security guarantees.

The participants in the Humanitarian Working Group discussed about conflict-related detainees, missing persons and the possible simultaneous opening of two new crossing points across the contact line in Zolote and Shchastia of Luhansk region.

Economic Working Group engaged in a constructive discussion on different aspects of water supply to certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine (CADLO). Ecological issues, pension payments and questions related to telecommunication were also reviewed.