Russia should stop fueling conflict in Donbas - EU

The EU delegation said this in a statement at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Monday, November 12, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the statement, the EU once again urges Russia to immediately stop fueling the conflict by providing financial and military assistance to armed formations, and is deeply concerned about the presence of Russian military hardware and personnel in areas controlled by Russian-supported armed formations.

It notes that the duration of the EU's economic sanctions against Russia is related to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

During a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on fake "elections" in the occupied part of Donbas on November 11, the EU delegation stressed that the European Union strongly condemns them.

So-called 'elections' are another flagrant violation of international law and Ukrainian legislation, the Minsk agreements, and the EU considers them to be null and void and the ones that have no legal force, the statement said.

The EU delegation recalled that the Minsk agreements foresee the holding of local elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions within Ukrainian legislation and after respective security conditions are established in accordance with OSCE standards and under ODIHR monitoring.

op