Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) agreed to restore a full ceasefire between the Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, the OSCE said.

The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG ‎and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

“In today’s meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group, with the participation of representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, priority was given to the issue of security and, in particular, compliance with the ceasefire.

I was delighted that participants expressed their strong determination to fully adhere to the Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire agreement of 22 July 2020. This is of utmost significance for the people living on both sides of the contact line. It is also of particular importance, as the security situation along the contact line remains volatile with SMM recording about five times more ceasefire violations on average per day this month compared with the numbers recorded in December 2020”, - said the Ambassador.