Yatseniuk asks Council of Europe to do its best to make Russia fulfill its obligations

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has urged the Council of Europe to use all of its potential to make Russia fulfill its international obligations, particularly those concerning the freeing of illegally detained prisoners.

"The head of the government highly praised the compelling position of the Council of Europe regarding the condemnation of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine. Arseniy Yatseniuk addressed [Council of Europe Secretary General] Thorbjorn Jagland with the call to use the whole potential of the Council of Europe so that Russia will fulfill its international obligations, particularly concerning freeing illegally detained Ukrainian prisoners and hostages," the press service of the government reported on Tuesday after the meeting between Yatseniuk and Jagland in Kyiv.

During their meeting, Yatseniuk expressed alarm over the serious and systematic violations of human rights in Crimea by the Russian occupation administration, which includes the persecution of Crimean Tatars. Yatseniuk also urged the Council of Europe to do its best to overcome these issues.

Yatseniuk and Jagland discussed the main ways of supporting reforms in Ukraine, in particular cooperation with the Venice Commission in finishing judicial reform, and support of the mechanisms for protecting human rights.