On February 18, 2020 Russian forces and illegal armed formations supported by Russia escalated the situation in the area of the conflict in the East of Ukraine. Violating the ceasefire regime, they attacked the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Zolote with the use of armaments forbidden by the Minsk agreements. That act of aggressive action demonstrated the unwillingness of the Russian Federation to fulfil all previously reached agreements to end the war and restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Taking into account this situation, the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) appeals to the European Council, the European Commission and the EU member states to increase pressure on the Russian Federation to comply with international law and to implement all agreements reached within the Normandy format and the Minsk Trilateral Group. The absence of practical steps by the Russian authorities in this regard should lead to the prolongation of EU sanctions against the Russian Federation, and even the imposition of new sanctions, should Russia continue to further violate the peaceful agreements that have hitherto been concluded.

Members of the Steering Committee of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum