UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — No effort should be spared to sustain the shaky ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told the UN Security Council on Monday, praising the Council for its endorsement of the peace agreements reached in Minsk.
"In Ukraine, today, achieving a sustainable solution is urgent — not least due to the death toll and the humanitarian impact of the conflict," Mogherini said.
More than 6,000 people have been killed since an armed conflict began in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region last April, according to the latest UN estimates.
Praising the UN Security Council's role, Mogherini said that "it was important that the Minsk Package of Measures adopted last February 12 was endorsed by the Security Council."
"This ceasefire is fragile and no effort should be spared to sustain it," the EU foreign policy chief underlined.
Withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line is only the first step to restore peace in Ukraine, Mogherini noted. The swift and full implementation of the Minsk agreements by all sides is key to bringing a political solution to the conflict, she stressed.
Addressing the European Union's role in Ukrainian reconciliation, Mogherini stated that while the union believes in the importance of ensuring Ukraine's territorial stability, it also sees the need to "make sure that Ukraine becomes a functional state that honors the aspirations of its peoples," Mogherini said.
"The conflictual, complex world we live in needs more cooperation, not less," she concluded.
A ceasefire deal between Ukraine's warring sides was initially signed last September. However, hostilities continued, and tensions in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region escalated greatly in the first weeks of 2015.
In a bid to find a solution to the conflict, the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France met in Minsk, Belarus last month. The talks resulted in a new ceasefire deal, with Ukraine's warring sides again vowing to stop fighting and withdraw heavy weaponry.
