Berlin, Paris urge to adhere to ceasefire in eastern Ukraine

“We welcome that participants of the session of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) expressed their strong determination to fully adhere to the Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire Agreement of 22 July 2020, thus significantly contributing to the security situation along the contact line before Christmas,” reads the joint declaration by the German Federal Foreign Office and the French Quai d'Orsay on the situation in Ukraine.

The foreign ministries urge the sides to respect the ceasefire and to continue discussions on further steps in the humanitarian field, e.g., the opening of crossing points and the exchange of detainees, along with the rest of the Conclusions of the 2019 Paris Summit.

According to the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, at the regular TCG meeting on December 22, the parties reached a common understanding on the need to restore the ceasefire. According to the delegation, this result is especially important in view of the upcoming winter holidays. The Ukrainian side also continues to work in all available formats to release detainees, open entry-exit checkpoints, ensure the implementation of other agreements in the interests of all Ukrainians on both sides of the contact line.

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