Following yesterday’s attack on Mariupol and the escalation of violence in the Donbas Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, decided to convene extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council this coming Thursday, 29 January, in Brussels.

Further escalation of the open armed conflict in Ukraine has tragic consequences for a population and would inevitably lead to a further grave deterioration of relations between the EU and Russia, High Representative for Foreign Policy Federica Mogherini warned in a statement. Mogherini spoke this afternoon with President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, about the deteriorating situation on the ground in Eastern Ukraine and the possible means to address the situation.

The European Union is preparing to step up its humanitarian aid to the people affected by the conflict in Ukraine, especially the displaced and those who need help to weather the severe cold which has gripped the country. Commissioner Christos Stylianides, responsible for humanitarian aid and crisis management, will be in Ukraine on January 26-27 to discuss the emergency with the authorities in Kyiv, to meet victims of the crisis in the East and to reaffirm the EU’s solidarity with the affected people.

The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) announced an expanded asset purchase programme. Aimed at fulfilling the ECB’s price stability mandate, this programme will see the ECB add the purchase of sovereign bonds to its existing private sector asset purchase programmes in order to address the risks of a too prolonged period of low inflation.

Time is running out in Eastern Ukraine where the escalation of fighting has caused far too many civilian as well as military casualties.

The Council of the EU has appointed Mr Lars-Gunnar Wigemark as EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He will also take over the role of the Head of the European Union’s Delegation in Sarajevo.

Terrorism threat and relations with Russia were the main issues the Foreign Affairs Council discussed at its first 2015 meeting on January19, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security issues Federica Mogherini said after the meeting. The EU ministers decided to have a stronger coordination within the EU, but also cooperation with other countries regarding fight against terrorism. EU is united on policy towards Russia: there is no change of it until commitments taken in Minsk are implemented, Mogherini said. The Council noted that Bosnia has begun moving in the right direction, she said.

The renewed intensification, in spite of the ceasefire in place, of shooting and shelling in eastern Ukraine led today to the tragic death of ten civilians when a bus was hit by a shell.

Ministers for culture of all the 28 Member States of the European Union have issued a joint statement with regard to the tragic events at the Charlie Hebdo editorial office in Paris on 7 January.

The number of EU residents who are in favour of increasing aid has gone up significantly, and vast majority citizens of 28 Member States continue to feel very positively about development and cooperation, showed a Eurostat survey related to the European Year for Development.