13 December 2018, 15:30
Iryna Herashchenko is on her working visit to Belgium as part of a Ukrainian delegation led by the President of Ukraine
During December 12-13, the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Presidential envoy for a peaceful settlement of the Donetsk-Luhansk clash Iryna Herashchenko as part of the Ukrainian delegation, headed by the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, is on her working visit to Belgium to meet leaders of the institutions and member states of the EU and NATO.
Meeting with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, President Poroshenko stressed the need to provide an accurate response from the EU to the act of aggression of Russia against Ukraine on November 25 to counteract the "creeping occupation" by the Kremlin of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. The President of Ukraine handed over to D.Tusk rosters of Russia’s persons and ships involved in the overt act of aggression against Ukrainian vessels.
"The security situation in the Sea of Azov could be stabilized providing that OSCE SMM observers were present. However, despite the mission’s mandate that spans Ukraine-wide, the OSCE SMM does not conduct monitoring over the Azov Sea waters due to a destructive position of the Russian Federation as an OSCE member," said P. Poroshenko.
The President of Ukraine informed in detail about the state of health of the war prisoners, and noted that despite all efforts of Ukraine representatives of international missions cannot visit the illegally detained Ukrainians.
Leaders of Ukraine and the EU have demanded to restore freedom of navigation in the Azov Sea and immediately release the Ukrainian sailors and ships captured.
The President of Ukraine also drew attention to the risks associated with the implementation of the Kremlin's political project "Nord Stream 2".
During the meeting, there was agreed to strengthen cooperation over European integration of Ukraine as well as collaboration aiming to counter foreign meddling in electoral processes in Ukraine and the EU in the year to come.