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Joint press point with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

20 Oct. 2016

President Poroshenko, Dear Petro, it's good to have you back at NATO headquarters. It's great to see you again.

We just met in New York in connection with the UN General Assembly in September. And then we met in Warsaw Summit in July.

And I think that the high frequency of our meetings reflects the very close cooperation and partnership between NATO and Ukraine. So it's great to see you again and I really appreciate this opportunity to once again to address the very important issues of the situation in Ukraine and how NATO can continue to provide support to Ukraine.

And the Ukraine crisis continues to be a black mark on the map of Europe.

We know that thousands of people have been killed and many, many injured.

NATO's support for Ukraine is unwavering. We will continue to support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

And we do not – and we will not – recognise Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.

And we are very much concerned about Russia's continued destabilisation of eastern Ukraine.

For months the full implementation of the peace deal has stalled.

That is why I welcome that you had a meeting yesterday in the "Normandy Format" in Berlin. And I thank you for updating me on the outcome of that meeting and the discussions you just had. Including the plan to create a new road map for implementing the Minsk Agreement.

And it is essential to implement the Minsk Agreement, because the Minsk Agreement is the only viable way to a lasting, peaceful solution to the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

All parties must fully implement the Minsk Agreement. Ukraine has responsibilities to implement its commitments, but Russia has a significant responsibility in this regard, because it continues to support the separatists.

And we know that the OSCE monitors must have safe access to the whole territory to be able to implement the agreement and we have seen that they have been hindered in doing that several times.

We have also seen that threats against the monitors and the jamming of the UAVs are undermining the implementation of the Minsk Agreement. And these actions are unacceptable because they are in total violation of the Minsk Agreement.

Ceasefire violations must end and we cannot allow these ceasefire violations to become 'the new normal' in Ukraine.

NATO and NATO Allies will continue to support Ukraine. We will provide practical support and we will provide political support.

We will provide support through our different trust funds. Helping you build security institutions. And we will work on areas for instance such as cyber-defence and the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. And in other areas to help and support Ukraine in different practical ways.

Ukraine, for its part, has to continue to implement reforms, fight corruption and I welcome your personal engagement in pursuing the path of reforms in Ukraine.

So once again it has been a great pleasure to meet with you. But let me also add that in addition to the situation in Ukraine, we also discussed the very serious situation in Syria.

Because also in Syria we see a Russian presence and we have seen a substantial military build-up of Russia in Syria.

I welcome the temporary ceasefire in Aleppo but this does not go nearly far enough.

Following weeks of Syrian and Russian strikes against civilian infrastructure –including hospitals – the humanitarian situation in Aleppo is appalling.

We need a real solution on the ground in Aleppo. Not a short-lived ceasefire.

But one that addresses the desperate humanitarian crisis. And which will lead to a credible cessation of hostilities.

And therefore I join the international community in its calls on Russia to help end the bloodshed in Aleppo. And to play a constructive role in finding a negotiated solution to the crisis.

So once again Petro, it's always a great pleasure to have you here and good to have you back at NATO headquarters, so welcome.