I.Gerashchenko:
Ukraine demands unhindered access for humanitarian missions to the occupied
territories, and calls on the EU to exact from Russia entire fulfillment of the
humanitarian cluster of the Minsk accords
“We do
appreciate the groundwork we have jointly made for pre-launching a range of the
EU humanitarian projects aimed to help the Donbas people who have suffered from
the Russian aggression, and now we are already in view of the forthcoming concerted
efforts to be coordinated for improvement
of the humanitarian situation of that place,” stressed Iryna Gerashchenko, the First
Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, on Tuesday at a wide meeting
with the EU representatives and coordinators
of the EU humanitarian projects in Ukraine.
In the course of the meeting with the above
foreign delegates, Iryna Gerashchenko, the First Deputy Chairperson of the
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, together with Hanna Hopko, the Head of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, have talked over a range of issues regarding the current
security and humanitarian situation in the Donbas, as well as implementation of
the humanitarian and infrastructural projects in the east of Ukraine.
Iryna Gerashchenko expressed her sincere thanks to the European Union for its
significant aid rendered to the humans aggrieved through the conflict inspired from
outside. She laid at that a particular stress that despite the territories
occupied remain to be closed for international humanitarian missions, there
have been 70 Russian so called ‘humanitarian convoys’ that had broken into the lands
within the last three years.
“Regrettably, the
Russian Federation along with its stooges are fiercely attempting to block all
initiatives from Ukraine and the international missions regarding helping
people living in the occupied territories of the Donbas, bringing the tension
by that to a yet newer height,” noted Iryna Gerashchenko.
In turn, the Head of the European Union
Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli shared information that the EU
representatives in combination with the EU-UA humanitarian projects’
coordinators had elaborated a ‘Joint Humanitarian-Development Framework’ plan,
providing for comprehensive measures to help the civil population which have
suffered astride the front line.
The above EU plan
is said to envision medium term and long term projects demanding a close
co-operation with the core ministries and departments of Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian ministries
and departments, the Government and the Parliament of Ukraine are expected to
successfully realize the said EU aid programme together with us,” pointed out Hugues Mingarelli, calling on the parliamentarians to become acquainted with the draft
plan and join in its discussion and regulation. In view of the above said,
Iryna Herashchenko and Hanna Hopko informed the audience about the
regular sittings of the informal parliamentary group “The Minsk Platform” gathered
to formulate a peaceful settlement strategy for the east of Ukraine. The
politicians also offered to discuss the combined EU plan of the humanitarian
development.
Jear-Louis De
Brouwer, Director of Operations in the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and
Civil Protection department (ECHO), praised the Parliament’s constructive
endeavours aimed at reintegration of the occupied territories of the Donbas. The
security situation is hoped there to tend towards sustained peace
which could bring a chance to succeed at the measures pre-planned. The meeting was also
attended by:
Luc Devigne -- Director for Eastern Partnership, Russia, Central
Asia and OSCE at European External Action Service;
Peter Wagner – the Head of the Support Group for Ukraine,
Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations;
Stefan Schleuning – Team Leader, Financial Cooperation Sector of the Support
Group for Ukraine, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and
Enlargement Negotiations;
Piet Blonde – Political Advisor at European External Action
Service – EU Delegation Ukraine, European Commission;
Samuel Marie-Fanon – Head of Office at DG European Commission
Humanitarian Aid Office – ECHO;
Berend De Groot -- Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Ukraine;
SGUA representatives.