The OSCE is making a crucial contribution to preventing another military escalation of the situation, said Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He added, "We can now see a significant reduction in the level of violence." Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for free local elections in eastern Ukraine and unrestricted Ukrainian control over the country’s borders.
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The Minsk agreements have not yet been implemented in full, said Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday. Nevertheless he added, "The ceasefire is gradually becoming more stable, and the withdrawal of heavy weapons is underway on both sides."
This will make it easier for the OSCE to perform its work in Ukraine, explained the Federal Foreign Minister. The OSCE is thus "making a crucial contribution to preventing another military escalation of the situation and opening a window for the launching of a political process".
During Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s talks in Bucharest on Monday, the Ukraine conflict was one item on the agenda. "A clear start has been made now," he said with a view to the Minsk agreements concluded about a month ago. "We can now see a significant reduction in the level of violence." He described the extension of the powers of the OSCE as a "vitally important contribution". This conflict will continue to be a matter for politicians for a long time to come though, he added.
On Monday Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested what could be the next steps. "Free local elections in eastern Ukraine and unrestricted Ukrainian control over the country’s borders would not only help Ukraine and restore its territorial integrity, but would also provide new impetus in its partnership with Russia." Angela Merkel is currently in Tokyo for political talks.
Russia and Ukraine have declared their readiness to extend the OSCE mission and double the number of observers, reported Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who was in Riga for a meeting of EU ministers of foreign affairs on 6 and 7 March.
The contingent is to be raised from 500 to 1,000 observers. "This is very encouraging," said Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The OSCE observers must also be able to reach places where the ceasefire has been violated over the last few days, demanded the Federal Foreign Minster.
The OSCE special observer mission presented a report on Thursday (5 March). It states that the freedom of movement of the mission is still being restricted by all parties, reported government spokesperson Steffen Seibert at the government press conference on Friday.
The mission has only been able to observe individual instances of heavy weapons being withdrawn to their positions. Over the last few days, however, there appear to be signs of a rethinking of the situation on the Ukrainian side. By contrast, no sufficient cooperation can be seen on the part of the separatists, according to the report.
As Steffen Seibert also reported on Friday, Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by telephone on Thursday with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. They discussed the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, as well as the status of the withdrawal of heavy weapons there, the strengthening of the OSCE and the launch of a political process.
Steffen Seibert also confirmed that the mother of the Ukrainian helicopter pilot Nadya Savshenko had approached Chancellor Angela Merkel with a request that the Chancellor intercede on behalf of her daughter. Nadya Savshenko was arrested in June 2014 in Russia and accused of murder. "She will receive a response," confirmed Steffen Seibert. The German government will continue to work for a swift humanitarian solution, in other words for the release of Ms Savshenko.