BRUSSELS - The Ukrainian crisis will be the only topic on the agenda of the EU Foreign Affairs Council extraordinary meeting on Jan. 29, press officer for the EU Foreign Affairs Council Susanne Kiefer has reported.
“The Foreign Affairs Council on Jan. 29 is due to start at 3 p.m. Ministers will only discuss the situation in Ukraine,” she wrote on Twitter on Jan. 27.
After the shelling of Mariupol on Jan. 24, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini called for an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Today, the leaders of the EU member states released a statement on the situation in Ukraine.
“We express our concern about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine. We condemn the killing of civilians during the indiscriminate shelling of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Jan. 24, 2015. We note evidence of continued and growing support given to the separatists by Russia, which underlines Russia’s responsibility. We urge Russia to condemn the separatists’ actions and to implement the Minsk agreements,” reads the statement.
“We recall the European Council conclusions of Dec. 18 2014, where we said that “the EU will stay the course” and that we are “ready to take further steps if necessary.” In view of the worsening situation we ask the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council to assess the situation and to consider any appropriate action, in particular on further restrictive measures, aiming at a swift and comprehensive implementation of Minsk agreements,” reads the statement.
