COPENHAGEN, 25 February 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) today issued the following statement on continuing restrictions imposed on OSCE monitors in Ukraine and the need for full Russian support:

"I am profoundly disturbed by the illegal separatists' continuing refusal to grant unlimited, safe access to OSCE monitors on the ground in Ukraine and their violations of the Minsk Package of Measures. By extension, I am also disturbed by Russia's apparent unwillingness to publicly insist that the rebels immediately allow the monitors access, stop all ceasefire violations and withdraw all heavy weapons. Any attempts by the rebels to threaten the city of Mariupol must be met with a swift and decisive response by the international community.

"I echo OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier in insisting that Russia can do more, and that also includes full support for the expansion of all OSCE monitoring activities in Ukraine. Rejection by Russia's UN ambassador of an enlarged monitoring mission on the Ukrainian-Russian border runs counter to the international community's efforts to make sure weapons are flowing out of -- not into -- Ukraine. Indeed, Russia's objection to more eyes along the most volatile border in Europe today raises more concerns that this mission, in its highly limited capacity, is simply being used as a cover, while separatists receive the material support they need.

"The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly remains ready to help rebuild trust and promote dialogue between Russian and Ukrainian lawmakers, and I hope that the facts on the ground will soon work in support of our efforts," Kanerva said.

President Kanerva met with members of the Russian and Ukrainian Delegations to the OSCE PA on the sidelines of the Assembly's Winter Meeting last week, where the crisis in Ukraine was the topic of a special debate.