On November 11, 2015 President Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with Rapporteur for the Political Affairs Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Kristyna Zelienkova, who arrived in Kyiv in the framework of the preparation of report “Political Consequences of Crisis in Ukraine”.

The Head of State informed on the situation in Donbas noting that recently there was an ominous tendency to the increase in the number of shelling and attacks by pro-Russian militants on the Ukrainian positions in the ATO area. The President emphasized that Ukraine was not drawn into provocations and strictly observed the Minsk agreements.

The President thanked the PACE for supporting Ukraine in its struggle against foreign aggression and ensuring sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the state. “In case of escalation and non-fulfillment of the Minsk agreements by Russia, the international community should be ready to enhance sanctions and restrictive measures against Russia,” Petro Poroshenko emphasized.

The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine was willing to hold local elections in Donbas in full compliance with the Ukrainian legislation and the international standards.

Petro Poroshenko drew attention to the difficult humanitarian situation in the occupied territories of Donbas, the violation of rights of Crimean Tatars in the occupied Crimea and urged to further promote liberation of Ukrainians illegally detained in Russia, particularly Oleg Sentsov and Nadiya Savchenko.

The Head of State drew attention of KristynaZelienkova to the increase of oppression of Ukrainians in Russia, particularly the situation of the Ukrainian Literature Library in Moscow. “We count on an active position of the PACE in the issue of persecution of Ukrainians both in Russia and Crimea,” the President said.

The parties discussed the implementation of essential internal reforms in Ukraine. In this regard, Petro Poroshenko thanked the Council of Europe for its contribution to the reformation of Ukraine, particularly to the issue of constitutional amendments on decentralization and the reform of justice.