At the meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Foreign Affairs Minister of the French Republic Jean-Marc Ayrault, First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Heraschenko said Ukraine expects more active and joint position as to the implementation of the Minsk accords by all of the parties from Germany and France, as the participants in the Normandy Format.
The major topic of the meeting between members of the Ukrainian Parliament and European high-ranking officials was security and humanitarian situation in Donbas as well as the implementation of the Minsk agreement by the Russian Federation.
Iryna Heraschenko noted that Ukraine is still committed to political and diplomatic settlement of the situation in the east of Ukraine and continues implementing all items of the Minsk agreement despite regular shelling by Russia and Russia-controlled militants.
The First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada noted the importance of humanitarian and security aspect of the Minsk accords. She considers that these issues must be placed on the forefront of the Normandy Format activity.
Iryna Heraschenko noted that Ukraine is ready for compromises for the sake of the settlement of the Donbas conflict, however, not at the expense of its national interests and sovereignty. She noted that unless security and humanitarian aspects of the agreements are implemented, there will be no grounds for adoption of the election law for Donbas.
Discussing possible elections there, Iryna Heraschenko emphasized that such elections can take place only under the Ukrainian legislation, standards of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, with the participation of Ukrainian political parties and mass media. Besides, she added that one of the preconditions should also be disarmament and withdrawal of foreign troops from the Ukrainian territory.
According to the First Deputy Chairperson of the Ukrainian Parliament, the restoration of control over the state border is extremely important and Ukraine continues insisting on creation of the fifth subgroup of the trilateral contact group for the settlement of the situation in Donbas (Ukraine-OSCE-Russia).
In turn, Foreign Affairs Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier noted that the Normandy Format countries consider the implementation of the Minsk agreement a ground for achieving progress in the settlement of the situation in Donbas. He said reaching of the Minsk accords allowed achieving substantial progress in resolving of the conflict in the east of Ukraine.
Members of the Ukrainian Parliament, who were present at the meeting, also noted massive infringement of human rights in the Russia-annexed Crimea and the problem of illegal elections that are about to take place there.
Iryna Heraschenko called on Ukraine's international partners not to recognize results of such elections as they are simply an attempt of the Russian Federation to legitimate the annexation of Crimea.
Mrs. Heraschenko also thanked the Governments of Germany and France for their joint position on illegitimacy of the annexation of Crimea and expressed hope that the Ukraine's European partners will not recognize the elections in Crimea.
Besides, the attendees of the meeting discussed high level of cooperation recently achieved between Ukraine and Germany and France.
Iryna Heraschenko noted deepening of cooperation between the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Parliaments of Germany and France and thanked for their considerable support for structural reforms in Ukraine towards the European integration of our country.
Mr. Steinmeier assured that before late September, the European Parliament will provide its decision on the introduction of the visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens.
The participants in the meeting were representatives of all deputy factions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.