As part of the dialogue between Kyiv and Brussels, the 11th round of consultations between Ukraine and the EU on the consequences of the temporary occupation of the territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, was held on May 27, 2024. For the first time, after the full-scale invasion, the parties expanded the agenda of consultations and discussed the situation regarding all territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia.
The delegation of Ukraine at the consultations was headed by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, the EU delegation – by the Deputy Director of Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia and OSCE of the European External Action Service Luc Devigne. The consultations were also attended by representatives of the relevant ministries and agencies of Ukraine, the Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, as well as experts of the European External Action Service and the European Commission.
During the consultations, issues related to the process of deoccupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine were discussed. Special attention was paid to the activities of the International Crimean Platform as a format for unifying international efforts for the de-occupation of Crimea.
Participants exchanged views on the security situation and large-scale violations of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories, ways of strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the EU with the aim of returning forcibly deported Ukrainian citizens, including children, were discussed.
An important element of the discussion became the urgent issues of strengthening the defense potential of our country at the expense of Russian assets frozen on the territory of the EU. Also discussion was focused on strengthening the EU's sanctions policy in order to limit Russia's ability to continue military aggression.
The Ukrainian side expressed the expectation that the next 14th package of sanctions will include significant sectoral restrictive measures against the aggressor country and will provide for further effective steps to counter the circumvention of sanctions.
The EU side is called upon to more actively use the EU Global Sanctions Mechanism for human rights in order to bring to justice the representatives of the aggressor state involved in the massive violations of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
The EU side confirmed its readiness to continue comprehensive support to Ukraine for the restoration of its territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, as well as the consistent implementation of the policy of non-recognition of the Russian Federation's decisions regarding the illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories.
The participants of the consultations agreed that the Global Peace Summit, which is being prepared by Ukraine and Switzerland, will become an important element on the way to stopping Russian aggression, establishing a stable and just peace in Ukraine and on the European continent.