18 January 2015 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has today said he is alarmed by the severe escalation of fighting for control of Donetsk airport in eastern Ukraine and implored all sides to make good on their commitments under the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum, with the first step being an immediate and full cessation of hostilities.

In a statement delivered by his Spokesman, the Secretary-General noted that fighting around the airport had already caused numerous casualties and threatened to completely unravel a hard-won September 2014 cease-fire.

The statement continued, stressing that further deterioration of a situation that has led to heavy loss of life and civilian suffering must be avoided at all costs, adding that the UN stands ready to support all efforts toward de-escalation and the resumption of a genuine peace process to restore Ukraine's stability and territorial integrity.