During a working trip to Donbas, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and President of the European Council Charles Michel visited the Shchastya entry / exit checkpoint on the demarcation line in the area of the Joint Forces operation in Luhansk Oblas

During a working trip to Donbas, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and President of the European Council Charles Michel visited the Shchastya entry / exit checkpoint on the demarcation line in the area of the Joint Forces operation in Luhansk Oblast.

The Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Serhii Deineko acquainted the delegation with the peculiarities of the tasks performed by border guards, the functioning of checkpoints and the procedure for passing citizens. He drew attention to the fact that currently all entry/exit checkpoints within Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts from the territory controlled by Ukraine are working. However, Russian mercenaries are blocking most areas on the other side of the line. In fact, citizens can move daily only through the Stanytsia Luhanska checkpoint within the Luhansk Oblast, and in the Donetsk Oblast through Novotroitske several times a week, when pro-Russian forces resume crossings. After all, today, on average, about 1,500 people cross the demarcation line in both directions each day.

The distinguished guests also inspected the infrastructure of the crossing.

During a briefing on the results of the operation of the entry/exit checkpoint, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi expressed hope that at the end of this month, the European Council chaired by Charles Michel would take a tough stance on Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

“I would be grateful for further mobilization of EU pressure on Russia. Ukraine seeks to achieve peace in Donbass through diplomacy and we will be able to do it only together, feeling the support of our partners, our international partners, your personal support for stability, for security, security in Ukraine, security on the European continent. Thank you for your presence in Donbass. This is a strong signal. Thank you that your trip to Ukraine started from Donbass,” Volodymyr Zelenskyi said during the briefing.

The head of state also drew attention to the fact that in recent weeks there have been regular provocations by illegal armed groups, which complicate the situation in eastern Ukraine and the path to peace: “Our military and our boys continue to die. In the last ten days alone, we have lost two of our defenders, two heroes”.

For his part, the President of the European Council noted that he had seen with his own eyes how the work carried out by Ukraine in cooperation with international partners on the line of contact in Donbass improves people's everyday lives.

Charles Michel noted that the European Union has provided significant support to Ukraine to mitigate the impact of the conflict.

“This year we are launching a new program to support economic development and public services in the region. It will also include funding for entry/exit checkpoints”, he said.

The President of the European Council is convinced that a complete ceasefire, the opening of more entry/exit checkpoints, and further humanitarian demining will improve the lives of people on both sides of the line of contact, and the EU stands ready to support these efforts.