On Saturday 8 September, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) criticised the announcement that presidential and parliamentary elections in the so-called Peoples Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, are to be held on 11 November 2018.
In a press release, the spokesperson said that this announcement "runs contrary to the spirit and letter of the Minsk agreements, which have specific provisions regarding the organisation of local elections in that region". "Implementation of the Minsk agreements by all sides is key to reaching a lasting peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine", the spokesperson stated.
The EEAS spokesperson added that all steps that obstruct the advancement of the implementation of the Minsk agreements must be avoided. "We expect Russia in particular to make full use of its influence on the separatists in this regard", the spokesperson said.
As is usual when speaking about eastern Ukraine, the EEAS spokesperson reiterated the full support of the EU for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)