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Greek PM calls on all parties to work to de-escalate crisis at Ukraine border — spokesman

He also expressed Greece’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Eastern Partnership states

ATHENS, December 16. /TASS/. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Eastern Partnership summit about his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on December 8, reiterating his position that all parties should work towards de-escalation of the crisis at the border of Ukraine and Russia, government Spokesperson Ioannis Oikonomou told a briefing on Thursday.

According to the spokesperson, on Wednesday, the prime minister took part in a sixth meeting of the heads of state of the European Union and Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova) countries. "At the summit, which took place against the background of developments both at the Ukrainian-Russian border and at the border with Belarus, as well as efforts to use migration to achieve political goals, the prime minister expressed Greece’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Eastern Partnership states," Oikonomou said.

"At the same time, he stressed the importance of their commitment to the decisions and statements [within the framework] of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, specifically those that regard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and sovereign rights of the EU member states," he went on to say.

The prime minister informed the summit of his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, "and reiterated his position that he had also voiced to the president of Russia, that all parties should work towards de-escalating the crisis in the region, since there will be no winners in the case of a conflict," he said.

The spokesperson noted that on Thursday, the prime minister was taking part in a European Council meeting in Brussels and a dinner of the EU’s leaders. "The summit will focus on the pandemic, the Omicron variant, vaccination and problems related to growing energy prices in Europe. "The situation in Ukraine and migration with a glance to the developments at the border with Belarus will be discussed as well," Oikonomou noted.

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine Eastern Ukraine Greece

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