On Tuesday morning, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland sent a letter to Council of Europe foreign ministers drawing attention to the worsening situation of displaced persons and made the following statement:

"The humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine is worsening day by day. Innocent people are being killed and wounded. The number of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees is rising dramatically. It is my responsibility as Secretary General of the Council of Europe to undertake every effort to assist our member States in ensuring that the rights guaranteed by the European Convention for Human Rights are effectively implemented, and to protect all displaced persons, regardless of who they are and where they live. That is why in my letter to Council of Europe foreign ministers today, I urge all member states to step up humanitarian aid in the region, in particular through the UNHCR and the International Red Cross and in co-ordination with the relevant national authorities," said the letter.

With reference to last Sunday's meeting of foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France in Berlin, Jagland said: "I call on all parties to continue the dialogue towards finding a political solution to this crisis."