Pavlo Klimkin acknowledged the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in the OSCE and expressed his gratitude to the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Ilkka Kanerva for his strong support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Pavlo Klimkin stressed that a peaceful resolution of the situation in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine depends on Russia’s readiness to implement its commitments under the Minsk agreements. He also called on the OSCE PA to use all available tools to encourage the Russian authorities to respect the Helsinki Final Act principles and to abandon Russia’s aggressive policy towards Ukraine, highlighting the importance of implementing the OSCE PA 2014 Baku Declaration and OSCE PA 2015 Helsinki Declaration.

Both Sides also discussed the activities of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine. Pavlo Klimkin appreciated the work done by the OSCE SMM and underlined that Ukraine’s withdrawal efforts have been fully completed in line with agreed timeframe and modalities. While discussing the issue of holding local elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin emphasized that such elections should be held in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and the OSCE standards and under the OSCE/ODIHR monitoring.

From his side Ilkka Kanerva assured of the OSCE PA consistent support to Ukraine and readiness to further promote peaceful settlement of the situation in Ukraine. Ilkka Kanerva also stressed the necessity of ensuring full and unimpeded access of the OSCE SMM to the whole territory of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and of full regaining by Ukraine of State border control.

During his visit to Ukraine Ilkka Kanerva visited Donetsk region under the Government control and shared his impression of the humanitarian situation on place.