EU High Representative: Political will by all parties needed to resolve Donbas conflict

Borrell says political will by all parties is needed to resolve Donbas conflict / REUTERS

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has said the political will by all parties is needed to resolve the conflict in Donbas.

"We need a long-term political solution to achieve a lasting peace in eastern Ukraine. This will require political will by all parties to the conflict. The full implementation of the Minsk agreements is a key condition in this regard," he said at the 27th OSCE's Ministerial Council on December 3, 2020.

Regrettably, Crimea and the city of Sevastopol are still illegally annexed by Russia, Borrell stressed.

"The European Union reiterates its unwavering support to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

Read alsoDonbas war update: Ukraine reports three ceasefire violations on Dec 2Russian occupation of Crimea: Background

• Russia occupied Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula. An illegal referendum was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77% of the Crimean population had voted for acceding to Russia.
• On March 18, 2014, the so-called "agreement on the accession" of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin.
• The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced.
• Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began.