Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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202. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he proposes to raise the ongoing crisis in the Ukraine at the next European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13743/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The next Foreign Affairs Council will take place in Luxembourg on 20 April. The agenda for the meeting will be finalised in due course by EU High Representative Mogherini, in consultation with Member States. The question of whether Ministers will discuss the situation in Ukraine, and the nature of any such discussion, will largely depend on developments there in the meantime.The crisis in Ukraine was considered by EU leaders at the European Council on 19-20 March. Heads of State and Government called on all parties to swiftly and fully implement the Minsk agreements and honour their commitments. They agreed that current EU sanctions should be clearly linked to the complete implementation of these agreements and that the European Council stood ready to take further measures if necessary. The Council also reiterated that the EU does not recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastapol.

There was broad agreement on strengthening EU support for the OSCE Mission to enhance its capacity to effectively monitor and verify the Minsk agreements. Leaders also underlined the EU’s continued support for Ukraine’s reform process.

I will continue to closely monitor developments in Ukraine. It is vital that all sides hold to the commitments they made on 12 February in Minsk to help create the conditions that might lead to a peaceful end to this crisis.