Switzerland condemns the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and the daily ceasefire violations in Donbas, committed mainly by Russia-occupation forces, the country’s Ambassador to Ukraine Claude Wild has said.
“Switzerland condemns the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia as an act that violates important principles of international law, namely violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he said during a conference on the Geneva Conventions, named “70 Years on the Protection of Humanity in War,” in Kyiv on Dec. 2.
He also stressed that Switzerland condemns the daily violations of the ceasefire, provoked mainly by illegal armed groups from the territories of Donbas not controlled by the Ukrainian government.
“We welcome the progress that has been possible in recent weeks through the withdrawal of forces in three zones: Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrovske. We also welcome the completion of the reconstruction of the bridge across the Siversky Donets River in Stanytsia Luhanska,” Wild added.
He expressed the conviction that such measures constitute important steps for building peace in Ukraine and reduce the number of problems of the civilian population affected by the conflict.
According to the ambassador, today the Geneva Conventions remain important, especially in Ukraine, where the armed conflict in the east has been going on for six years and the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula has taken place.
