Ukrainian issue is priority for OSCE – Slovak foreign minister

Ways for peaceful settlement of the situation in Donbas, issues relating to Crimea and the Sea of Azov remain among priority tasks for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Miroslav Lajčák said this during a meeting with Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman in Kyiv today, the Government portal reported.

According to the Slovak foreign minister, the security of Ukraine is an essential component of the security architecture of the whole Europe. "I'm glad to visit Ukraine. This is also important for our bilateral relations, and in the context of our OSCE chairmanship. The issue of Ukraine is a priority," he said.

In turn, Groysman stressed that the situation in Ukraine today can not be considered as a separate issue. It can be viewed as an issue of pan-European importance. "It is necessary to raise not only Donbas and Crimea issues, but also an issue of the Sea of Azov. Everything that happens there should receive an appropriate international response. This is a creeping occupation of the Sea of Azov and there should be an adequate global response," the prime minister stated.

He put special emphasis on the need to increase pressure on the aggressor country to return captured Ukrainian sailors home.

During the talks, the parties also touched upon cooperation in different fields. "We praise the level of dialogue we have. We have great prospects in economic sector. We are open to cooperation," the head of government noted.

The interlocutors stressed that during ten months of 2018 the volume of bilateral trade between Ukraine and Slovakia exceeded $1 billion - with a positive balance for Ukraine.

At the moment, Slovakia is among the top 20 European trade partners. Energy projects are of great interest to both countries, because energy security was and is a strategic priority for Ukraine as well.

Slovakia took over OSCE chairmanship. Kyiv became one of the first European capitals visited by the Slovak foreign minister as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.