The situation in Donbas "is not a frozen conflict, it is a real war. This is the region where the military operations are being conducted in the format of the continuing war", Minister for Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn stated after his trip to Shyrokyno in the framework of the joint visit of the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Luxembourg to Mariupol on March 13^th. The Minister also said that the destructions caused by the Russian artillery he saw in Shyrokyno reminded him of "being near the Iraqi city of Mosul. The difference is in the fact that there are no refugee camps".

During the visit to Mariupol J.Asselborn met with the Head of the regional military and civil administration Pavlo Zhebrivskyi and the Mayor Mariupol Vadym Boychenko who briefed him on social and economic situation in the region suffered from the Russian aggression. Jean Asselborn announced the Government of Luxembourg pledge to provide 500,000 euros for humanitarian aid for residents of the Donetsk region affected by the war. This aid will be provided through the Red Cross and UNICEF.

In Dnipro Minister Asselborn visited the Mechnykov hospital that provides medical treatment for Ukrainian soldiers wounded in the ATO. The Minister said that Luxembourg would find a way to grant targeted assistance to the hospital.

While in Kyiv (March 14) Foreign Minister of Luxembourg was received by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and First Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv; he also held meetings in the Ukrainian Parliament.

In the context of discussions on the international support for Ukraine and its territorial integrity, Minister Asselborn also declared that "Ukraine should remain a priority [of the European agenda]" and "Luxembourg is steadfast in its support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity".

The progress in systemic reforms in Ukraine, particularly in the context of the implementation of the Ukraine–EU Association Agreement as well as of the application of the DCFTA were the focal topics of the meetings. Minister Asselborn made a special emphasis on the necessity of sustained efforts in judicial reform and countering corruption in Ukraine.