Ukraine: France remains fully mobilized within so as to reach a just and lasting settlement [fr]

Madam President,

I thank the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, and the Head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine for their briefings.

Seven years after the hostilities began, we cannot accept that this conflict continues while millions of women and men are still suffering from the consequences of the war. This is why France, together with Germany, remains fully mobilized within the Normandy format so as to finally reach a just and lasting settlement, in line with the last summit of heads of state and government held in Paris on December 9, 2019.

Firstly, we welcome the progress that has been made since that summit, in particular the exchange of prisoners. We welcome the reduction in violence since the reengagement of the parties to the ceasefire last July and we express our concern about the recent spike in violations. France regrets that the implementation of such essential measures for the populations as demining or opening of new crossing points remains blocked in the Trilateral Contact Group because of the intransigence of the de facto authorities with the support of Russia.

Secondly, we condemn in the strongest possible terms all impediments and restrictions of movement to the OSCE monitoring mission as well as actions that undermine its security. The pandemic of COVID-19 cannot be used as a legitimate pretext to prevent the implementation of its mandate, especially in the areas that are not controlled by the Ukrainian government.

Thirdly, we condemn the obstruction to the actions of humanitarian actors. 3.4 million people continue to be in need of assistance in Eastern Ukraine. Their vulnerability is increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Respect for international humanitarian law is an obligation which applies to all. We are also concerned by human rights violations and abuses, as reported by the monitoring mission of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The perpetrators of those violations must be prosecuted and tried for their crimes.

Lastly, I want to say that we do not accept Russia’s rhetoric which consists of blaming Ukraine alone for the blockades and making unfounded accusations against France and Germany, as the Russian Permanent Representative has just done. Do I need to remind you of Russia’s responsibility in this conflict which has caused more than 13,000 deaths and 30,000 wounded since 2014?

Russia has clearly and bindingly accepted its responsibility toward a peaceful settlement of the conflict and the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. It is part of the Trilateral Contact Group, with Ukraine and the OSCE, as well as the Normandy format. We call upon Russia to assume its responsibilities and exert greater influence on the de facto representatives of the areas not controlled by the Ukrainian government.

We reiterate our appeal to the Russian and Ukrainian sides to make progress in the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. Beyond immediate measures, this also means progress in the implementation of the political dimension of these agreements as well as on the definition of the political and security conditions for the organization of local elections, as agreed by the heads of state and government of the Normandy format at the Paris Summit.

The commitment of France, together with Germany, will not waver in order to achieve the construction of a just and lasting peace and the restoration of full Ukrainian sovereignty over Donbass.

Thank you.