In view of the situation in Ukraine, an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council has been scheduled to take place in Brussels today. The meeting starts at 15:00 (CET) and will be chaired by Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Council will be exclusively dedicated to an in-depth discussion of recent events in Ukraine and the EU's reaction. For more information go to the Council’s website.

Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas will represent Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos at the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos who is touring the Western Balkans, said, inter alia: “Let us hope that yesterday’s ceasefire in Ukraine is the first step toward calming the situation and checking the violence. The condemnation of violence is absolute, and all of Ukraine’s political and social forces must contribute so that this crisis can be overcome, so that we can reach a government that is inclusive, consensus-based, a government that will lead the country on the path of unity […] We are working closely with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton. I am in contact with many of my colleagues. There is unquestionably a need for mobilization, not just of the EU, but of the international community.”