Ukrainian delegation to TCG continues to insist on release of detainees, adherence to ceasefire

The Ukrainian posted the relevant statement on its Facebook page following the regular TCG held through video conferencing on September 29.

“The parties welcomed resumed activities of the Humanitarian Working Group, in which Ukraine’s provision of security guarantees for unblocking the entry-exit checkpoints on the Russian side played an important role. Our delegation reiterated its call for accelerated preparations for the next phase of the simultaneous mutual release of conflict-related detainees,” informed Oleksiy Reznikov, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Reintegration of the Occupied Territories of Ukraine, First Deputy Head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG.

He reiterated that unblocking the entry-exit checkpoints in the temporarily occupied territories would eventually resolve the issue of socio-economic support for Ukrainian citizens living in the temporarily occupied territories.

Within the Security Working Group, the Ukrainian delegation once again "urged to ensure strict adherence to the ceasefire and to stop violating it immediately."

The Ukrainian side also sent relevant complaints to the OSCE about gross violations of the ceasefire by Russian armed formations and losses suffered by Ukraine.

Within the Political Working Group, Reznikov said, "the parties focused on the agenda. The Ukrainian delegation reiterated that the basis for the settlement is the implementation of the decisions made by the Normandy format leaders, in particular at the Paris Summit."

Within the Social and Economic Working Group, the issues of water supply on both sides of the contact line, the organization of the visit of IAEA inspectors to uncontrolled territories were discussed. The parties also continue to identify possible ways to use digital tools to pay pensions to Ukrainian citizens with reduced mobility in the uncontrolled territory.

As the Deputy Prime Minister noted, “this time the Russian delegation behaved somewhat strangely. In particular, the Russian representatives put forward proposals for ‘general voting’ on certain initiatives, ‘… default voting’ and similar things that contradict the practice of negotiations and violate the principles of OSCE decision-making based on consensus rule.”

However, as Reznikov noted, “attempts to impose their proposals outside the agenda were not accepted by either the Ukrainian delegation or the OSCE representatives.”

According to him, the Ukrainian delegation continues to insist on the need to promptly release all conflict-related detainees, taking all necessary measures to do so, as well as on the need to strictly adhere to the ceasefire.

The next TCG meeting is scheduled for October 13.

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