Ukrainian crisis: Merkel and Poroshenko noted the lack of progress

In eastern Ukraine, there is no stable progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements on the ceasefire. This conclusion was reached by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during telephone consultations, the press service of the head of the Ukrainian state reports .

The continuation of the shelling from the militants threaten the plan of peaceful settlement. In particular, Poroshenko noted the need to restore control of the Ukrainian-Russian border on the occupied site and creating an opportunity to perform Ukrainian border guards of his functions when monitoring the OSCE and proper technical support.

Merkel and Poroshenko noted that the holding of local elections in some areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions should occur in accordance with Ukrainian law, as well as in conditions of stable bilateral ceasefire, equal possibilities of conducting an election campaign, attracting international observers.

Poroshenko thanked Merkel for the provided humanitarian aid. He said that 112 trucks with humanitarian aid for the victims in the Donbass have already crossed the Ukrainian border and are sent to Kyiv.

On September 30, Merkel, after negotiations with Finland Prime Minister Alexander Stubb in Berlin, stated that there is no reason to mitigate sanctions against Russia . She recalled that the sanctions were imposed after the annexation of Crimea. No signs of changing the position of Russia in this matter are observed, she emphasized. In addition, the situation in the east of Ukraine is "not satisfactory."

Another condition for mitigating sanctions is to hold free elections in the region, Merkel noted. It is also necessary to guarantee the absence of "further claims in the territory in Russia."

Germany and the whole European Union may have to revise its long -term and medium -term energy policy with Russia, the Chancellor said. However, this will happen only if the situation in Ukraine worsens. Merkel noted that the EU countries largely depend on energy supplies from Russia.