16/04/2020 (Agence Europe) – The EEAS spokesperson welcomed on Thursday 16 April the release and exchange of some 30 detainees between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian separatists following an agreement by the Trilateral Contact Group. This is a “welcome next step towards the implementation of one of the measures agreed at the Normandy Summit” in December 2019 (see EUROPE 12387/22), he said. According to him, the EU expects all parties to continue working towards the implementation of the Minsk agreements. A permanent ceasefire would help build confidence and alleviate the dire humanitarian situation, the spokesperson added, also calling for freedom of movement across the contact line for the OSCE Monitoring Mission and humanitarian actors and for Red Cross access to those still detained (see EUROPE 12456/20). (CG)