Almost a year ago, on 12 February 2015, Ukraine and Russia together with France and Germany agreed on a package of implementing measures for the Minsk Agreement. Yet, the ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine is still fragile.

S&D Group vice-president responsible for foreign policy, neighbourhood policy and enlargement, Knut Fleckenstein said:

"Tactical manoeuvring is not what is needed now. The implementation of the Minsk agreement is not about who proceeds in a cleverer way – Russia or Ukraine. Abidance by this agreement is a diplomatic and humanitarian necessity for the more than two million citizens who have fled the conflict areas in Donbass and for those who could not do so.

"Many among the 13 implementing measures, which were agreed in Minsk on 12 February 2015, have not yet been completed. The restoration of Ukrainian control over its border with Russia, the withdrawal of all foreign armed groups, weapons and mercenaries from Ukrainian territory, local elections on Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as constitutional reform in Ukraine with decentralisation as its key element are still pending. Both Russia and Ukraine must stick to their commitments.

"The EU put sanctions on Russia, sanctions whose lifting is bound to fulfilment of the Minsk agreement. To Ukraine the EU offered comprehensive support, amongst others, for implementation of the planned decentralisation. The corresponding proposals for constitutional reform have already passed the Ukrainian Parliament in a first reading in August, but still have not yet passed the second reading.  On the other hand, the upcoming local elections in Donbas must be conducted in compliance with the Ukrainian legislation and OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) / ODIHR (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) standards. Expectations for implementation through both sides are thus increasing.

"When meeting at the margins of the Munich Security Conference this weekend the German and French Ministers for foreign affairs should make it clear to their Ukrainian and Russian colleagues that the EU's support for the respective concerns depends on implementation of what has already been agreed by all sides in Minsk in September 2014 and in February 2015."