"Ukrainian members of parliament stated facts on ceasefire violations by pro-Russian fighters in the Donbass region and noted that survey methods used by the OSCE SMM require significant improvements and technical reinforcement with drones and constantly operational surveillance cameras," Gerashchenko, who represents Ukraine in the OSCE's Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine humanitarian subgroup, said on her Facebook page.
The Ukrainian delegation used the meeting with Gottemoeller to discuss NATO support for Ukraine, the security situation in Donbass and Russia's Crimean Peninsula, as well as ceasefire violations in east Ukraine, according to Gerashchenko.
In April 2014, Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against pro-independence militias in the Donbass. In February 2015, the two sides reached a ceasefire deal after talks brokered by the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.
The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, an all-for-all prisoner exchange and constitutional reforms, which would give a special status to the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics. Both sides of the conflict, however, have been constantly accusing each other of violating the agreement.
The OSCE SMM has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of Minsk deal provisions to settle the conflict.
