Geneva talks end in roadmap to calm tensions

US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, were in talks with the EU and Ukraine Keystone

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), currently chaired by Switzerland, will play a key role in measures announced in Geneva on Thursday to de-escalate tensions in Ukraine.

All sides at the talks have agreed steps to calm the crisis.

The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, the United States and the European Union began talks in the Swiss city on Thursday morning. It is the first meeting of its kind between Moscow and Kiev since Russia annexed Crimea.

In a press conference Thursday evening, US Secretary of State John Kerry said: “We agreed that the OSCE…will undertake a special role in assisting Ukrainian authorities and local communities in the immediate implementation of the de-escalation measures, and that they will do so wherever they are needed in the coming days. That means beginning immediately.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the measures also include an end to the occupation of buildings and amnesty for protestors.

A joint statement from the four parties involved in the Geneva meeting declared that “all sides must refrain from any violence, intimidation or provocative actions…all illegal armed groups must be disarmed”.

Despite Switzerland’s role as current chair of the OSCE, there was no Swiss or OSCE presence at Thursday’s discussions. However, the foreign ministry later said that it was pleased with the agreement and the importance it attached to the OSCE mission. In a statement, the ministry said it would be willing to send more observers.

“As new tasks and responsibilities have been assigned to the OSCE, I count on the continuous international support in funding and seconding of staff to the special monitoring mission,” said Swiss President and Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, who also serves as this year’s OSCE chairman.

The crisis in Crimea began last month after Russian troops moved into the Ukrainian peninsula. Since then trouble has spread to the east of the country, while Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine’s border.