The Dialog-Europe-Russia Advisory Board met under the joint chairmanship of Wolfgang SCHÜSSEL (former Chancellor of Austria) and Anatoly CHUBAIS (russian politician and businessman) on 19th August 2014 in Salzburg. The meeting was conducted under the Chatham House Rules. Franco Frattini attended the Conference as former Italian Foreign Minister and President of SIOI (Italian Society for the International Organization).

After introductions by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Arkady DVORKOVICH (a Russian public servant and economist, who was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister in Dmitry Medvedev’s Cabinet on 21 May 2012) concerning questions on Ukraine, sanctions and WTO and by the Vice-President of the European Commission Günther OETTINGER (European Commissioner for Energy) on energy and sanctions an open and substantial discussion among participants was held: intervention by a participant from Russia was followed up by a participant from the EU.

At the end of the whole day discussions, conclusions could be reached on elements of an action program on issues concerning Ukraine, Russia and the EU:

• Urgent conclusion of a ceasefire between Ukraine and the pro-Russia separatist in Eastern Ukraine with the full and effective monitoring of this ceasefire and border movements by the OSCE
• Under the OSCE chairmanship convocation of a post post conflict conference with participation of engaged parties (all parts of Ukraine, Russian Federation, EU, USA, IMF etc.) with the aim of
  Elaboration of elements for a new constitution for Ukraine with a federal framework and protection of minorities (for example like Germany/Länder or Italy/South-Tyrol) to facilitate free and fair elections in all parts of the country.
  Elaboration of an operation calendar; the status of the Crimea should be dealt with at a later stage when better confidence has been established.
  Convening of a pledging conference for reconstruction of infrastructure and cleaning of ecological damages (especially in the East) and for reforms in Ukraine
• Finalisation of Association Agreements – parallel with an expert working group to examine and avoid negative consequences for third parties (f.i. Russia).
• To stop a humanitarian winter catastrophe 2014/15: Urgent elaboration of a support package securing water and energy supply to the Crimea from Ukraine (70% dependency) and the energy supply for Ukraine and the gas transit to the EU.
• Longer term objective: a new basic agreement EU-Russia and elaboration of a free trade zone Russian Federation and EU from Lisbon to Vladivostok with the aim to establish an economic powerhouse which could be in a position to successfully compete in the globalised world.

The participants expressed the hope that the present confrontation – which could lead to a radicalisation in segments of the population and endanger economic development in Ukraine, Russia and the EU – will be, as soon as feasible, replaced by an overall cooperation.