Crisis in Ukraine: Daily Briefing
11 September 2015, 8 PM Kyiv time
1. Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (RNBO) reported at 12:30 PMKyiv time that yesterday, for the first time this year, there were no attacks or shelling by Russian-terrorist forces on the front in eastern Ukraine. The RNBO reported that yesterday two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four were wounded in a landmine explosion near Troitske, Luhansk oblast.
2. Yalta European Strategy Annual Meeting held in Kyiv
The 12th Yalta European Strategy (YES) Annual Meeting – At Risk: How New Ukraine’s Fate Affects Europe and the World,” is being held in Kyiv on 10-12 September. The YES Annual Meeting attended by over 350 government officials, experts and leaders in politics, economics, public relations and media from more than 20 countries. Before the Russian invasion and occupation of Crimea, the YES Annual Meeting was held in Yalta. More information about YES can be found athttp://yes-ukraine.org/en/.
3. Ukrainian President Addresses YES Annual Meeting
Ukrainian President P. Poroshenko addressed the YES Annual Meeting today. Poroshenko stated, “I think it is clear that an independent democratic Ukraine anchored into the system of European values is a cornerstone to security and stability in Europe and in the whole world. Once this cornerstone is undermined, the European and global security foundations will be shattered. […]In spite of overwhelming military advantage of the Russian army and enormous military budget, which is more than 30 times bigger than Ukrainian one, Ukrainian heroes are keeping defense in the Donbas and making Russia pay [a] just price for escalation of the conflict. […]However, the drama is still far from being over as the Russian aggressor is still standing with dozens of thousands troops and countless heavy weapons, tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launcher systems, missiles and other military equipment not only at our gates but also on our soil. […] We must sharpen all instruments at our disposal to compel Russia to abandon its power politics games and come back to the politics of respecting the law. First, we must make clear that not only current sanctions will stay in place as long as Russia occupies the Crimea and fuels turmoil in the Donbas but also enhanced restrictive measures will follow if Russia further obstructs the settlement process. […] Second, it is high time to discuss the possibility to deploy an operation in Donbas to support due implementation of the Minsk Agreements. It can help us achieve two key objectives for restoring peace in Donetsk and Luhansk regions: full withdrawal of the occupation forces of Russia from the Ukrainian territory and closing the Ukrainian-Russian border. These are two main preconditions for peace and stability in the Donbas. We don’t have any civil war, we don’t have any inside conflict. It is very simple. We have an aggression against Ukraine and occupation of the independent Ukrainian state. The aggressor is Russia. It is absolutely clear. Third, it is also high time to join our efforts towards amending institutions and instruments that serve principles and norms of the international law, such as in particular a veto power in the UN Security Council. The Russian aggression against Ukraine has showed vividly their flaws. I hope that we will start a relevant discussion during the upcoming 70th session of the UN General Assembly, because Russian aggression against Ukraine and Russian occupation of Crimea completely ruined the postwar security system and made it ineffective.” A transcript and video of Poroshenko’s speech is available at http://www.president.gov.ua/
Ukrainian President P. Poroshenko addressed the YES Annual Meeting today. Poroshenko stated, “I think it is clear that an independent democratic Ukraine anchored into the system of European values is a cornerstone to security and stability in Europe and in the whole world. Once this cornerstone is undermined, the European and global security foundations will be shattered. […]In spite of overwhelming military advantage of the Russian army and enormous military budget, which is more than 30 times bigger than Ukrainian one, Ukrainian heroes are keeping defense in the Donbas and making Russia pay [a] just price for escalation of the conflict. […]However, the drama is still far from being over as the Russian aggressor is still standing with dozens of thousands troops and countless heavy weapons, tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launcher systems, missiles and other military equipment not only at our gates but also on our soil. […] We must sharpen all instruments at our disposal to compel Russia to abandon its power politics games and come back to the politics of respecting the law. First, we must make clear that not only current sanctions will stay in place as long as Russia occupies the Crimea and fuels turmoil in the Donbas but also enhanced restrictive measures will follow if Russia further obstructs the settlement process. […] Second, it is high time to discuss the possibility to deploy an operation in Donbas to support due implementation of the Minsk Agreements. It can help us achieve two key objectives for restoring peace in Donetsk and Luhansk regions: full withdrawal of the occupation forces of Russia from the Ukrainian territory and closing the Ukrainian-Russian border. These are two main preconditions for peace and stability in the Donbas. We don’t have any civil war, we don’t have any inside conflict. It is very simple. We have an aggression against Ukraine and occupation of the independent Ukrainian state. The aggressor is Russia. It is absolutely clear. Third, it is also high time to join our efforts towards amending institutions and instruments that serve principles and norms of the international law, such as in particular a veto power in the UN Security Council. The Russian aggression against Ukraine has showed vividly their flaws. I hope that we will start a relevant discussion during the upcoming 70th session of the UN General Assembly, because Russian aggression against Ukraine and Russian occupation of Crimea completely ruined the postwar security system and made it ineffective.” A transcript and video of Poroshenko’s speech is available at http://www.president.gov.ua/
4. Bilateral EU-Russia meeting on winter gas supplies
European Commission Vice President for the Energy Union M. Sefcovic met with representatives of Russia’s Ministry for Energy and Gazprom. The European Commission stated that the meeting “focused on the actions needed to ensure stable gas supplies to Ukraine and via Ukraine to the EU during winter. The meeting was also the occasion to exchange views on matters regarding the EU-Russia energy relations such as energy infrastructure. The meeting was held at the initiative of the European Commission and served to prepare the next round of trilateral gas negotiations between the European Commission, the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Bilateral talks on energy security with Ukraine already took place on 27 August 2015. Today’s meeting created a solid basis for convening a trilateral meeting with Russia and Ukraine and to finalise a new package in the near future. The Commission will propose a date for the trilateral meeting to the Russia and Ukraine. […]The European Commission acts as a mediator in the latest round of trilateral talks that started in March 2015. The Commission aims at facilitating a new protocol on gas deliveries from Russia to Ukraine for the next heating season until the end of March 2016. The Commission remains convinced that a follow-up to the winter 2014 package would enable all parties to find an acceptable framework for gas trade and purchase. Securing Ukraine’s winter gas supplies is a priority for the European Commission.”
5. EU to provide 90 million euros for Ukraine decentralization projects
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reported that the EU is ready to provide 90 million Euros to Ukraine for decentralization projects, as announced by EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy J. Hahn during a meeting with Ukrainian Vice PM and Minister of Regional Development H. Zubko. Zubko stated, “Ukraine relies on expert assistance of the European partners in the process of amending the Constitution of Ukraine. For us it is also crucial facilitation in the development of a package of laws on decentralization in 22 areas, especially basic laws on self-government, the prefects, administrative and territorial structure, land relations, tax and budget laws, social standards, administrative services, local police.”
