Ladies and gentlemen,
- Ukraine made every step to deescalate the situation in the East.
- Russian terrorists used the unilateral ceasefire for regrouping and further aggression.
- During the 10-day truce Ukraine continued to lose lives of our military men in 108 new terrorist attacks.
- More than 170 people are still held hostage.
- Ukraine’s strong desire to establish peace does not mean that we can allow the Russian terrorists to continue bloodshed, killings and violence.
- President Poroshenko ordered to renew the active phase of the antiterrorist operation.
- As we saw at Zakytne and Dovzhanskyi border control checkpoints, Ukrainian armed forces are capable of reestablishing control over our territory. However, unlike Russian federal army in two Chechen wars, our military tries to avoid casualties.
- Our vision is clear: cessation of hostilities by terrorists, release of hostages, restoration and launch of national dialogue.
- Our stance has gained a unanimous international support. There is only one voice that the world does not and cannot trust: this voice comes from the Kremlin. The world demands real actions from Russia.
- Yesterday Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia met in Berlin in the framework of efforts to implement the peace plan of President Poroshenko.
- Ukraine announced three major messages:
- First. We demand a sustainable and unconditional bilateral cease-fire, which would pave the way for further de-escalation in the region.
- Second. All terrorist groups have to release immediately and unconditionally all hostages.
- Third. We urge Russia to exercise their full and direct influence over the terrorists to stop the bloodshed and to ensure efficient border control.
- A commitment to sustainable peace and stability in Ukraine has been made.
- Foreign Ministers agreed that the Contact Group would resume no later than July 5th with the goal of reaching an unconditional and mutually agreed sustainable cease-fire.
- This cease-fire should be monitored by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.
- Russia declared its commitment to grant Ukrainian border guards access to Russian territory in order to participate in the control of border crossings at checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk while the mutually agreed cease-fire is in place.
- Negotiators emphasized the need to ensure safety and security of journalists working in the area of violence.
- In case sustainable cease-fire is achieved, we would welcome the OSCE SMM to monitor the cease-fire and disarmament of illegally armed groups and to assess effectiveness of the measures, taken to control the border and to stop inflow of the militants and weapons.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
- The Kremlin continues its aggression by persecuting ordinary Ukrainians.
- We strongly demand that Russia immediately releases Oleh Sentsov, Oleksiy Cherniy, Hennadiy Afnasyev and Oleksandr Kolchenko and others who are imprisoned in Moscow under false charges.
- We demand unconditional release of Lviv University’s students Yuriy Yatsenko and Bohdan Yarichevsky, who are still detained in Kursk.
- The fact that there is no adequate response to the dozens of our official appeals to the Russian authorities proves that they have been taken hostage by the Kremlin.
- Freeing hostages is our unchanged demand.
- I’m glad to know that Anastasia Stanko and Illya Bezkorovainiy from Hromadske TV were released last night in Luhansk region.
- Terrorists will be eventually forced to free Pavlo Yurov, Denys Hryshchuk and dozens of other innocent people in the East.
- Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry calls upon all our international partners and the world community to continue globally to pressure the Russian Federation so that it releases our citizens.
- And lastly, about Crimea.
- Deterioration of human rights in Crimea remains in focus of our attention.
- Lately there appeared troubling new signs of marginalization of the Crimea Tatars.
- After banning memorial for Stalin deportation victims in May, occupational authorities forced celebration of the Crimean Tatar national banner day to the outskirts of Simferopol.
- At the same moment, various events dedicated to the Russian culture and history are allowed.
- We face the challenges of xenophobia, Anti-Ukrainian and Anti-Muslim ideology.
- The UN Human Rights Council witnessed deterioration of freedoms and liberties in the Crimea as a result of Russia’s actions.
- These practices cannot be acceptable and tolerated by anyone in the world.
- The perpetrators of the Russian military, political and ideological aggression should be stopped by our common efforts and clear solidarity.
I thank you.
