German Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel stressed that the situation in Ukraine is not a bilateral conflict with Russia but is a challenge to integrity in the center of Europe
During the talks
between Foreign Ministers of Ukraine
Pavlo Klimkin and the German
Federal Foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, who was
on a working visit to Ukraine
on January 3-4, issues related to supporting Ukraine
in defending the territorial integrity and sovereignty
of our country
were discussed.
The Sides discussed
the situation in the Donbas,
in particular the possibility of introducing a UN peacekeeping mission to the occupied
territory of Donbas.
Particular emphasis was
made on the
need for the release of
hostages in the territory of
the occupied Donbas, as well
as political prisoners held by the Kremlin
on the territory
of Russia and the occupied
Crimea.
Heads of the Foreign Ministries highly assessed the state of
Ukrainian-German bilateral relations,
especially noted the success of
the Year of Ukrainian and
German languages in both countries,
as well as
the intensification of bilateral trade
and investment cooperation.
As a result of
negotiations, the bilateral agreement on employment of
family members of diplomatic missions
and consular offices has been
signed.
The scheduled visit
of the Ministers
to the adjacent
to the contact
line territories in the ATO area
of the Donbas
on January 4 was postponed due
to bad weather
conditions. Heads of Foreign Offices
agreed to conduct a joint trip to the
Donbas in the near future.