Debate during the plenary session of January in Strasbourg on Situation in Ukraine. Statements by&nbsp;Federica MOGHERINI,&nbsp;High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy&nbsp;/ Vice-President of the EC,&nbsp;Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP, PL),&nbsp;Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D, DE),&nbsp;Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL) and&nbsp;Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE).

EU - Ukraine (T)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

respect for human rights in the world (T)

troubles in Ukraine (T)

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

VAN BAALEN, Johannes Cornelis (ALDE, NL)

HARMS, Rebecca (Greens/EFA, DE)

FLECKENSTEIN, Knut (S&D, DE)

SARYUSZ-WOLSKI, Jacek (ECR, PL)

Cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law - Situation in Ukraine: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, "There has been a re-intensification of the talks,on different format, on side on the Normandy format, this has created some elements of hope that did not create still the conditions for a meeting in Astana to be convened."

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, "What we are trying to do, being it the Presidency format, being it the Normandy format, this is going to be, this is already in the framework of European Union efforts. Which means that channels of communication, and not only communication but coordination on what steps need to be taken at different levels are taken together.And both the Latvian Foreign Minister and the French and the German Foreign Ministers are going to report back to the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday."

SOUNDBITE (English), Jacek SARYUSZ-WOLSKI (EPP, PL), "Why the EU and yourself as Vice-President is absent, you as such, in Ukrainian talks and why the EU chair is empty? Why we do not have the Geneva format rather than Normandy? Latvian Presidency is not a substitute - its should be you as our Foreign Minister there."

SOUNDBITE (German), Knut FLECKENSTEIN (S&amp;D, DE), <p>"Solidarity isn't shown in words it is shown in deeds and the international Red Cross is calling for a rapid solution and it has to be rapid reaction, the aid is needed now not next summer. In order to improve situation on the ground we repeat once again Russian mercenaries and soldiers have to be withdrawn now, not at some point in the future. We call on all those involved to implement Minsk Agreement."</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes Cornelis van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), "I think that the sanctions should do the work. And the sanctions are working. Also together we see with the low oil prices, so the Russian economy is in trouble. I am not happy for that, but I hope that it will hurt Putin enough to be sensible and indeed go the negotiation table."

SOUNDBITE (German), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), <p>"I am glad that you are saying that we may still have an economic solution, we don't have to have a military solution. But then we need a different reaction from the Russians. That is the key for negotiation or no negotiation in Astana."</p>