Brussels, 25/08/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 22 August, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton denounced the murder of Lithuania's honorary consul, Mykola Zelenec, in Luhansk (Ukraine). “We are appalled and saddened by the kidnapping and brutal murder of Mykola Zelenec, Lithuania's Honorary Consul, by illegal armed groups in Luhansk”, Ashton's spokesperson stated. “We strongly condemn this act of terror”, her spokesperson said, adding that “those responsible for this crime must be held accountable and brought to justice”.
Lithuania's foreign affairs minister, Linas Linkevicius, said that he had learned of Zelenec's death “with extreme sadness”, stating that Zelenec had been “kidnapped and brutally killed” by “terrorists”.
Stating that “the tragic death” of Zelenec adds to the increasing toll of casualties in Eastern Ukraine, Ashton's spokesperson said that this “demonstrates again the urgency to put an immediate end to the violence and the need to take steps towards de-escalation of the crisis”. In the spokesperson's view, “now more than ever, a political, sustainable solution must be found in order to prevent future senseless loss of lives”. Ashton's spokesperson also urged Russia immediately to cease its actions destabilising Ukraine and to join the efforts to restore peace and security in the country. (CG)