Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin discussed with Secretary General Lamberto Zannier the situation in Donbas and activities of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.

Ukraine highly values the work of the OSCE SMM as defined by its mandate. Minister Pavlo Klimkin emphasized the need to enhance technical capabilities and operational capacities of the SMM to ensure efficient monitoring and verification of the implementation of the Minsk agreements, focusing on the need to reinforce the Mission’s monitoring functions in Donbas.

The Minister noted that it remains of critical importance to ensure full access of the SMM monitors to the entire territory of Donbas, including the border section, as well as substantial expansion of the OSCE monitoring on the Russian-Ukrainian border which is now limited to only two Russian border checkpoints (Gukovo and Donetsk).

The Minister thanked for the OSCE Secretariat’s practical support to the activities  related to demining in Donbas and encouraged to increase the project activities in this sphere taking into account the needs of the respective state authorities of Ukraine.

The Minister and the Secretary General also discussed the assistance that is being provided through the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in assisting the implementation of the large-scale reform programme.