BRUSSELS, April 07. /ITAR-TASS/. EU is alarmed by the situation in Ukraine’s three eastern regions, Maja Kociancic, the press secretary of EU’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, said Monday.
European officials are watching the situation very closely, she told reporters in Brussels.
She noted that all the political demands in Ukraine should be made in non-violent ways and in conformity to the standards and laws of democracy.
Kociancic claimed that the presidential election scheduled for May 25 would be a good forum for this.
She reiterated the EU’s support for “Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, as well as the efforts of the Ukrainian government in that sphere.
Kociancic said the EU continued urging the parties involved in the political conundrum in Ukraine to make steps aimed at defusing tensions and preventing further destabilization in the country.
On Sunday, April 6, crowds of protesters seized various official buildings in the cities of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk, the administrative centers of the three crucial heavily industrialized regions of the country.
On Monday, April 7, the Donetsk Regional Council proclaimed formation of an independent and sovereign Donetsk People’s Republic and declared that a referendum on the future of the region - that is, on whether or not it should join the Russian Federation - would be held May 11 at the latest.