OSCE chief monitor to Ukraine urges conflicting sides to observe ceasefire

Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan is calling on the conflicting parties in southeastern Ukraine to ensure a lasting ceasefire during the victory commemoration events scheduled for the upcoming weekend and after it.

"I urge all sides to mark the commemoration of the events 70 years ago by intensifying efforts to support a sustainable ceasefire - one that endures not only through the holiday period, but also in the coming days and future," Apakan said in a statement available on the OSCE website.

"I call on all sides to exercise restraint, adhere to full and comprehensive ceasefire and ensure that peace prevails during upcoming weekend and beyond," he said.