02 July 2019, 10:27
When fielding the media on July 1 at the parliament, the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Herashchenko gave her comments on the pulling the forces and means apart nearby Stanytsia Luhanska and observed an acute need for a consolidated position regarding the situation in PACE.
She underscored that the Ukrainian side had never blocked the work of the Minsk groups and drew attention that there had been almost no change in the composition of Ukrainian representatives at the Trilateral Сontact Group (TCG) and its working subgroups.
"Our key task is to return peace not through capitulation, but on conditions of full implementation of the Minsk accords by all the parties," I. Herashchenko stressed.
In this context, the first vice-speaker also noted that the Ukrainian side should demand that the Russian troops be withdrawn from Debaltseve, since they use this locality to supply weapons from the Russian Federation.
"The clue for ending the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine sits in establishing control over the Donbas portion of ??the Ukrainian-Russian border. To do this, there must be launched an additional working sub-group within the frame of the TCG, which is to be in charge of the border issues," said I. Herashchenko.
Iryna Herashchenko also expressed her conviction that the Ukrainian side should appeal to the OSCE for establishing an observation point for the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission nearby Stanytsia Luhanska, in the vicinity of the bridge, where the forces are in the process of separation. "The above OSCE point should work around the clock to monitor violations of a truce regime," I. Herashchenko emphasized.
The politician observed that the Ukrainian side had been in full preparedness to repair the bridge in question by itself or with the participation of the ICRC, however, this proposal was all in vain. “We would welcome if within the framework of the Minsk groups there will be possible to arrange for the reconstruction of this facility. This will be very important in the context of improving the humanitarian situation in the Donbas," I. Herashchenko stated.
She also reminded that this week Ukrainian cities Sloviansk and Kramatorsk would be celebrating their release from the hordes of pro-Russian hired guns.
Iryna Herashchenko noted that in recent years the Ukrainian authorities and the army have both managed to free two thirds of the occupied Donbas, and Ukraine should "continue to move on politically and diplomatically and via further strengthening of the Ukrainian army".
"We must comprehensively consider Russia's implementation of the Minsk Agreements. Sanctions against the Russian Federation should continue until it fully complies with all the clusters of the accords. We, too, would like to hear such a clear position from the President of Ukraine, in the first place," I. Herashchenko highlighted.
The politician congratulated the intention of the Government representatives to visit the Luhansk region on July 2 and noted that the delegation should include representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine (OPU). She also advised to communicate with locals of the Luhansk region in Ukrainian and stressed that she had been taken aback vastly by the statement of a presidential official that the Russian language is the only language for communication with the Donbas.
The first vice-speaker noted the importance of a humanitarian policy for the reintegration of the Donbas and called on the National Television and Broadcasting Council of Ukraine to unbar the license for the FM Army radio station. She reminded about the significance of further working of this radio voice and noted that the station’s signal also used to reach the Ukraine-uncontrolled territories of the Donbas.
Giving her comments on the PACE situation, Iryna Herashchenko thanked all Ukrainian citizens for their support. I. Herashchenko reminded that the Russian delegation had tried hardly to reinstate its powers in the Assembly and avoid sanctions, but owing to the common position of all political forces, cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Presidential Administration, the Ukrainian deputation to PACE succeeded in resisting those mean intents.
"We must work out a common stand against the situation in PACE, otherwise return of the Russian delegation might domino with the entire disposition built up during these years for protecting Ukraine and the sanction regime against the Russian Federation," I. Herashchenko underlined.
She then stressed the pressing need for a meeting of representatives of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE with the President of Ukraine V. Zelenskyi and the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Iryna Herashchenko also emphasized that it is important today to intensify the work with international partners of Ukraine in order to preserve the sanctions pressure, and informed that the European Union would review in December the sanction policy regarding the Russian Federation.