European Council President Donald Tusk and U.S. President Barack Obama urged Russia to withdraw from eastern Ukraine and allow control of the border, the EU President said in a statement after a telephone conversation with the American leader.
“We shared our concerns over the crisis in Ukraine and agreed on how important it is for Russia to withdraw from eastern Ukraine, to stop supplying troops and equipment, to allow effective controlof the border and to allow the OSCE to carry out its mission. All hostages should be released,” Tusk said.
“The European Union and the United States continue working together closely, including on sanctions as well as on financial support to Ukraine,” he added.
Upon taking over the duty of the President on December 1 Tusk listed EU’s closer ties with the US among four priorities of his mandate.
“That the phone call takes place on my first day in office as President of the European Council underlines the importance I attach to our relations with the U.S. I was happy to hear the American President ́s equally strong commitment to our transatlantic bond,” Tusk said.
