Brussels, 03/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - In a phone-call on Tuesday 3 December, European Council President Donald Tusk congratulated Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko on the “successful” establishment of the new government. Tusk said he believed this “brings hope for further stepping up much needed political and economic reforms”. He welcomed the stated ambitions of the Ukrainian government “to tackle the economic crisis through a robust reform process” and he pledged the EU's readiness to continue standing by Ukraine in these efforts.
Reiterating the EU's concerns over the security and humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Tusk said he and Poroshenko had agreed on the “need to pursue the peace process on the basis of the Minsk agreements”. “A political settlement must be reached in full respect of Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence”, he said. He also informed Poroshenko that “the European Council will stay seized of this matter and take appropriate action in light of developments”.
Both presidents agreed to stay in “close contact”, Tusk stated, and to “look for possibilities to meet as soon as possible”. (CG)