The First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Herashchenko commented on the latest developments regarding a peaceful settlement of the Donbas situation.
She reminded about the tripartite talks in Minsk with the participation of representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the OSCE, and emphasized that ORDLO are actually separate areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (regions), which remain an integral part of Ukraine.
"It is obvious that what the Donbas is suffering now is an external armed aggression of Russia, and in no way “an internal conflict," averred I. Herashchenko, and noted that in order to stop the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, there should be established full control over the eastern stretch of ??the Ukrainian-Russian border.
"Within the framework of the Minsk Group, there should be set up an additional TCG’s sub-group in charge of all the border issues," stated I. Herashchenko.
The first vice-speaker expressed her hope that during the EU-Ukraine Summit on July 8, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi would raise the issue of introducing a UN peacekeeping mission in the Donbas. "This Petro Poroshenko’s initiative still remains utterly topical and vital for getting the Donbas back," she said.
When giving her comments on ceasefire violations on the part of the Russian Federation and its handy militants after the separation turn nearby Stanytsia Luhanska, Iryna Herashchenko emphasized that the move should have been first preceded by ensuring a stable regime of silence and an all-embracing armistice throughout the Donbas.
"We appeal to the Russian side to immediately stop shelling all over the Donbas and call on the OSCE to establish a permanent observation point for the OSCE SMM, which will work in Stanytsia Luhanska round-the-clock and monitor if the silence regime is stuck to," I. Herashchenko stated.
The first vice-speaker also stressed the need for unbiased information from the OSCE SMM concerning dismantling the fortifications of the Russian occupying troops in the neck of the woods of Stanytsia Luhanska.
"Implementation of the Minsk agreements should be subjected to a holistic approach. Unfortunately, the Russian Federation has not yet fulfilled either the security block nor the humanitarian one, which provides, in particular, for the release of all hostages, political prisoners of the Kremlin and prisoners of war," I. Herashchenko declared.