Ukraine, EU, and Russia may hold three-party talks on Ukraine before June 27 - Poroshenko, Rompuy
KYIV. June 23 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Ukraine, the European Union, and Russia can hold three-party consultations at the level of experts on the situation in eastern Ukraine before June 27.
"The president of Ukraine said he believes that Russia will back the peace plan, not only in words, but also in practice. Petro Poroshenko said Ukraine, the EU and Russia may hold three-party consultations at the level of experts before June 27," the Ukrainian presidential press service reported, citing a phone conversation between Poroshenko and Council of Europe President Herman Van Rompuy.
According to the report, the conversation addressed the signing of the economic part of the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU and coordination of their position before the June 27 Council of Europe meeting.
"Petro Poroshenko told Herman Van Rompuy about 29 instances of ceasefire violations by militants in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the press service reported.
The Ukrainian president pointed out the need for unconditional fulfillment of such elements of the peace plan as the creation of a 10 kilometer buffer zone, release of hostages, and restoration of control on both sides of the Ukrainian-Russian border to stop illegal supply of weapons, equipment, mercenaries, and narcotics.
Poroshenko also told the European Council president he has received confirmation from the OSCE about the sending of an observer mission to checkpoints in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. "We also suggest that Russia should sent its monitors through the OSCE mission," Poroshenko said.
Herman Van Rompuy, for his part, gave high marks to the Ukrainian president's plan for settling the situation in eastern Ukraine. He said that the EU countries and the whole world back this plan.
Herman Van Rompuy also expressed concerns about the situation in eastern Ukraine and told Poroshenko additional sanctions may be imposed on Russia if not everything is done to restore peace.
The European Council president also told Poroshenko about the completion of the preparations for signing the economic part of the association agreement with Ukraine, which is scheduled to take place in Brussels on June 27. Poroshenko, for his part, thanked Herman Van Rompuy for supporting Ukraine's European ambitions.
