Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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170. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his EU/UN colleagues continue to monitor the ongoing situation in the Ukraine with particular reference to the need to bring about the cessation of hostilities and the amelioration of continued hardship to civilians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3241/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The EU remains at the forefront of international efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine. The situation in eastern Ukraine is extremely fragile at present, with a worrying escalation in hostilities and violence in recent days after a period of relative calm over the Christmas and New Year period.

I had the opportunity to discuss the crisis in Ukraine with High Representative Mogherini during her visit to Dublin last week. The issue was also considered by Foreign Ministers in the context of a broader discussion on the EU’s relations with Russia at the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday.

It is crucial that progress is made as swiftly as possible in renewing the ceasefire agreements signed in Minsk last September. All sides must demonstrate a genuine commitment to implementing the agreements and securing a peaceful, negotiated end to this crisis. Work to help bring about the resumption of direct talks within the framework of the OSCE Trilateral Contact Group is ongoing and it is hoped that the parties re-engage with this process without delay.

Internal reform aimed at modernising the economy, strengthening of the rule of law and stepping up the fight against corruption must also be central to any strategy to overcome the crisis. The EU has established an Advisory Mission on the Rule of Law to support the Ukrainian authorities in their efforts to reform the civilian security sector. My Department is funding the participation of two Irish members of this Mission.

I am also acutely aware of the heavy toll the crisis continues to have on the civilian population in eastern Ukraine. The European Commission has allocated €10.8 million in humanitarian aid since August 2014, and a further € 4.5 million has been mobilised specifically to meet Internally Displaced Persons recovery and integration needs. The possibilities for further humanitarian assistance are being actively discussed within the EU as we seek to support as effectively as possible the Ukrainian people in this time of great hardship.