BRUSSELS/KYIV. April 15 (Interfax) - President of the European Council Charles Michel expressed concern over Russia's military build-up near Ukraine's borders in a telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"President Charles Michel expressed deep concern with regard to the large ongoing build-up of Russian military forces on Ukraine's border and in illegally-annexed Crimea. Such largescale military movements represent threatening and destabilizing activities," the European Council's press service said following the conversation.
Michel "conveyed the EU's unwavering support to Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity in its internationally recognized borders" and assured Zelensky that "the EU is united in its solidarity with Ukraine," the press service said.
"President Michel reiterated his call on Russia to uphold the OSCE [Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe] principles and commitments on transparency of military movements," it said.
Michel reaffirmed the EU's "full support to efforts in the Normandy Format and the Trilateral Contact Group and called for the full implementation of the Minsk Agreements as the way forward toward a lasting settlement."
The EU foreign policy chiefs plan to exchange views on Ukraine on Monday and hold "an informal exchange with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba," Michel said.
He thanked Zelensky for inviting him to the Crimea Platform Summit scheduled for August 23, which he accepted while visiting Ukraine on March 2.
Zelensky thanked Michel for the EU's understanding and support for Ukraine concerning the situation in Donbas and for discussing the preparations for the Crimea Platform Summit.
"EU understands the situation in Donbas very well. Glad to discuss the content of the Crimean Platform with President of the European Council Charles Michel. Thank you for supporting Ukraine at all levels," Zelensky said on Twitter.
Zelensky and Michel also agreed to set a date for the 23rd Ukraine-EU summit, which Kyiv should host in the second half of 2021, the Ukrainian presidential website said.