EU sees less violence in eastern Ukraine
(LUXEMBOURG) - The European Union said Monday it believed a ceasefire and peace plan have helped reduce fighting between government and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine but condemned continued violations of the accord.
The accords reached last month were a step towards a sustainable political solution of the crisis, the EU's 28 foreign ministers said, but they left to another day any review of current sanctions against Russia.
While the EU took "good note of the decreased overall level of violence as a result of the agreed ceasefire," it also regretted and condemned "continued numerous violations".
The ceasefire and peace plan drawn up in Minsk were backed by Russia, which in March annexed former Soviet state Ukraine's Crimea territory, as Kiev turned decisively to the EU for its future.
Some 3,700 people have been killed since then, including over 300 soldiers and civilians after the Minsk ceasefire was agreed September 5.
The foreign ministers said in a statement that they expected all sides to live up to their Minsk commitments, stressing Russia's "responsibility in this context."
They also called for "the withdrawal of illegal armed groups, military equipment, fighters and mercenaries" from Ukraine and securing of the border by the pan-European OSCE security group.
Moscow insists it has no military presence in eastern Ukraine where pro-Russian rebels control large areas.
Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko has called national elections for Sunday but the rebels say there will be no vote in their fiefdoms, instead promising polls of their own later.
The foreign ministers said Sunday's vote should go ahead without hindrance and insisted that the EU would not recognise the outcome of the rebel polls.
There was no mention of the current EU sanctions imposed against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis, with the issue to be discussed Thursday and Friday at an EU leaders summit in Brussels.
Diplomatic sources said there is little appetite to either expand or ease the sanctions, with member states mindful of how difficult the bloc found it to agree on them given strong reservations in some member states about jeopardising major trade and political ties with Russia.