Ukraine Crisis Media Center, 13 May 2014

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dialogue is a pivotal concept in modern Ukraine.

Maidan started from a protest of citizens who wanted to be heard by the Government.

In post-Maidan Ukraine dialogue between regions, with authorities, among the civil society define who we are as a nation.

In more than 20 years of Ukraine’s independence, fundamental issues of our nation’s development, ranging from Constitutional basics to language policy, have been largely neglected or cast aside due to political games.

Maidan changed that.

I am happy to announce that on Wednesday the first round of the All-Ukrainian Unity Dialogue will take place on the premises of the Rada.

The Dialogue will encompass representatives of major political parties, representatives of regions and confessions, academia, business circles, arts etc.

The All-Ukrainian dialogue is an answer to challenges in Ukraine.

No one else but Ukrainians have to find the way towards national understanding, forgiveness, peace and progress.

We value assistance of the UN and the OSCE, especially its Special Monitoring Mission, in reaching a compromise in Ukraine.

But at the end of the day, the dialogue and the compromise depend on Ukrainians only.

I confirm that consultations on the OSCE Road Map continue.

Still the Road Map cannot cancel or substitute implementation of Geneva agreements and clear commitments.

While Ukraine holds its end to the bargain, Russia needs to withdraw the military from our borders and stop support of terrorists in Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian people yearn the dialogue of unity, not a state of permanent crisis.

They need a real dialogue instead of terrorist plebiscites held under a gun.

The dialogue encompasses all Ukrainian society, in particular its multinational dimension.

Ukraine commemorates victims of the Soviet Stalin deportation from Crimea.

On May 16th representatives of Crimean Tatars and other nationalities, the Government and diplomatic corps will hold a requiem in the memory of the 70th anniversary of those tragic events.

Ukrainians will demonstrate solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Crimea, whose families died en route to Central Asia, endured hardships in a strange land, eventually returned to the Motherland and now either have to leave their home again or live under the occupation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Among other news, the Foreign Minister will accompany the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet to Brussels, where first in the history of Ukraine joint session of the European Commission and Ukrainian Government will take place.

They will discuss the EU assistance in political and economic reforms in Ukraine.

I thank you.