EU expresses concern about Russia's militarization of Crimea

The European Union has expressed deep concern about the widespread militarization of the occupied Crimean Peninsula by Russia. This is stated in a statement made by the EU delegation during the meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation in Vienna on Wednesday, - Ukrinform reports.

"We express deep concern about the large-scale militarization of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia, which continues to influence the safe situation in the Black Sea region and beyond", - noted in the statement.

It is recalled that the EU strongly condemns the acts of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and does not recognize the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

The European Union has again called on all parties to fulfill their commitments, since "a sustainable political settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine can only be achieved through the full implementation of the Minsk agreements".

As previously reported, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna Ihor Lossovskyi expressed the hope that during the Turkish chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, more attention wouldbe paid to resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in the Donbass and to the problem of demilitarization and de-occupation of Crimea.

During January-April 2020, Turkey will chair the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation - one of the two main legislative bodies of the Organization, which meet at the OSCE headquarters in Vienna on a regular basis.