Brussels, 18 July 2014

“My thoughts today are with the relatives of the victims of the tragic crash of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. Today, we mourn their loss and honour the memory of their loved ones."

This terrible development highlights in the saddest possible manner the consequences of the ongoing instability in Eastern Ukraine, and the necessity and urgency of bringing this conflict to an end. I welcome the proposal for an international investigation into the circumstances of the crash and the willingness of all parties to facilitate access to the site. The families of the victims deserve to know what events and actions led to this tragedy.”