Minsk II timeline is to the end of year, EU

The European Union has made the timely estimate of the progress of the Minsk Agreements implementation, recalling that their timeline runs until late December, while the economic sanctions against Russia have been prolonged until the end of January 2016.

Spokesperson for the European External Action Service, Maja Kocijancic, said this in exclusive commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent in Brussels.

“The European Council decided in March to link the duration of the restrictive measures regarding the Russian Federation to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements. The Minsk timeline runs until end of the year, and the economic measures have been prolonged until end of January already,” the representative of the European External Action Service said.

Speaking about the progress and prospects for implementation of the Minsk Agreements, Maja Kocijancic noted that the ceasefire had started to be largely respected a week ago.

“Further progress on the ground is now urgent, notably withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line and full access for OSCE monitors to monitor this,” she said.

The representative of the European External Action Service praised the changes to the Constitution, passed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on August 31, saying they are “an important step forward in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.”

“For the implementation of the Minsk Agreements it is also fundamental that local elections in the separatist-held areas in eastern Ukraine take place in accordance with Ukrainian law and OSCE electoral standards,” Maja Kocijancic stressed.