Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Monday, 8 June 2015, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 22 June 2015. It was answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative) on Wednesday, 17 June 2015 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Ukraine: Armed Conflict

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the use by both sides of heavy weapons at Mariinka in Ukraine; and whether they plan to take steps to continue and to tighten existing sanctions against Russia in the light of such heavy weapons use.

Answer: We have been concerned with the escalation in fighting in eastern Ukraine, particularly around the town of Maryinka on 3 June. Reports by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the movement of a large amount of heavy weapons in separatist held areas, close to Maryinka, preceding and during the fighting, point clearly to this being a separatist provocation. At the G7 Summit on 7-8 June, all G7 leaders were clear that sanctions should be linked to Russia’s complete implementation of the Minsk agreements and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Secondary information