On 20 January in Vilnius, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius and Ukraine’s new Ambassador to Lithuania Volodymyr Yatsenkivskiy discussed the implementation of the Minsk agreements and deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine.
The Ambassador informed Lithuania’s Foreign Minister about Ukraine’s actions to ensure success of the peace process in the country, the Normandy Four talks. The Ambassador expressed concerns that despite the Minsk peace accords, Russia failed to fulfil its obligations, its weapons and mercenaries were still in the territory of Ukraine and Ukraine had not regained control over its state border with Russia in Donbas.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister regretted that some areas in eastern Ukraine came under shell fire each day, soldiers and civilians were being killed and injured.
Linkevičius acquainted the Ambassador with the outcomes of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting, which took place on 18 January in Brussels. The meeting also discussed the EU’s support for reforms in Ukraine, among other issues.
“We are ready to continue to provide expert support and other kinds of assistance for Ukraine, which are needed to ensure the smooth implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU. Special attention will be given to Ukrainian regions. The people of Ukraine must feel the advantages of free trade with the EU,” said Lithuania’s Foreign Minister.
Yatsenkivskiy is the 7th Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania. The Ambassador presented his letters of credence to the President of Lithuania on 14 January. Prior to his appointment, Yatsenkivskiy worked in Ukraine’s diplomatic missions in the USA, Italy and Poland. Recently, he served as the Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The Ambassador was responsible for the Ukrainian diaspora and issues related to cultural cooperation.
