U.S. Embassy: Russia must fully meet its Minsk commitments

“5 years after the establishment of a “Package of Measures” for the Minsk agreements implementation, Ukrainians continue to die as a result of Russian aggression. Russia must cease its aggression and fully meet its Minsk commitments,” the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine posted on Facebook.

On February 12, 2015, after many hours of negotiations of the Normandy Four at the summit in Minsk, a package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements adopted in September (Protocol of September 5, 2014 and the Minsk Memorandum of September 19, 2014) was approved with a view to de-escalating the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The document was signed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of France Francois Hollande, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The declaration of the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany and the Russian Federation was also adopted.

The package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements provided for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine; removal of all heavy weapons by both parties at a distance to create a security zone; OSCE’s effective monitoring and verification of the ceasefire regime and the removal of heavy weapons; release of all hostages; safe access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian assistance to civilians.

The package also stipulated the restoration of social and economic ties between the occupied territories and the rest of Ukraine; restoration of banking system; restoration of full control over the state border by the Government of Ukraine throughout the conflict zone; withdrawal of all foreign armed formations, military equipment and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision.

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