as soon as possible i'm forever grateful to be joining me here today by the high representative cathy ashton my friend and colleague and eight terrific partner in this and other efforts and i thank her. former leadership throughout this particular initiative the diplomacy be required so willing partners also wanna thank. ministers dishes yet. that also minister lavrov for their willing work in the course of today. their readiness to engage in constructive dialogue. we worked hard and we worked in good faith in order to try to narrow. what are real differences some of them significant. and if i new way forward for the people of ukraine. that helps them in achieving their aspiration to live in a stable peaceful and unified democracy. as recent events in eastern ukraine make clearer. they need our support now than they did it more than ever. ukraine has shown admirable. sometimes i think even remarkable restraint. in the face of considerable challenge. but no one should expect the leaders of the sovereign state. to always stand by passively. while order. this threat. the order. ukraine has been