I am pleased that the Trilateral Contact Group has agreed on a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter and May public holidays.

I call on all sides to adhere strictly to what has been agreed.

The number and ferocity of the violations of the Minsk ceasefire have recently been increasing from week to week.

The two sides must not squander the opportunity they now have to prevent the ongoing escalation of violence from continuing unchecked and the situation from subsequently getting out of control once more, which would result in the deaths of even more people.