Brussels, 23/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 23 February, the European Union condemned the attack “of a terrorist nature” on participants in a peaceful march in Kharkiv the previous day. “We expect the Ukrainian authorities to pursue investigation and bring those responsible to justice”, Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, told EUROPE. “We are confident that this unacceptable criminal act will unite all Kharkiv in the struggle against further destabilisation”, said the EU delegation to Ukraine.
The delegation paid tribute to the three victims - and in particular to the human rights campaigner Ihor Tolmachov, one of the key organisers and coordinators of Kharkiv Euromaidan. “We pay a tribute for his committed work for European Ukraine and for promoting European values”, the EU delegation stated.
The explosive killed Tolmachov and also a police officer and a 15-year-old boy, and left around ten people wounded. It was launched on the demonstrators from a car.
A mixed and complex situation.
On 23 February, the situation in Ukraine was still complicated. The Ukrainian army confirmed that the separatists were continuing their offensive around Mariupol. “An advance towards Mariupol would clearly violate the (Minsk) agreement”, warned Germany's foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in an interview with German newspaper Bild. He added that it was important that the separatists stop their military activities.
Nevertheless, the previous day, there was a glimmer of hope when the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russian separatists announced an agreement on withdrawing heavy weapons in the east of the country, as provided for by the Minsk agreements. According to the agreements, the withdrawal should have taken place on 17 February. According to a spokesperson for the separatists, the process was really due to begin on 24 February. The operations should take two weeks. On 21 February, the two parties proceeded to an exchange of prisoners. This exchange - of 139 Ukrainian soldiers and 52 separatists - is another point in the Minsk agreements.
On Friday, while France and Germany were calling for full respect of the Minsk agreements, European Council President Donald Tusk was threatening Russia with additional sanctions (see EUROPE 11258). Over the weekend, the UK and the US did the same. “If this failure continues, make no mistake, there will be further consequences, including consequences that will put added strains on Russia's already troubled economy. We are not going to sit back and allow this kind of cynical, craven behaviour to continue at the expensive of the sovereignty of another nation”, said US Secretary of State John Kerry at the end of a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)