donbass conflict – European Affairs Magazine

The Contact Group discussed security issues over Donbass

Ambassador Martin Sajdik, the OSCE Special Representative in Ukraine, after the end of a regular round of peace talks in Minsk, affirmed that The Contact Group, seeking to find a solution to the Donbass conflict, discussed security issues on Wednesday, focusing on the creation of new areas to disengage forces and to clear from mines the area along the contact line. On Wednesday, members of the political subgroup reporting to the Ukraine Contact Group in charge of peace settlement of the armed civil conflict in Donbass, proved unable get over to the discussion of the so-called Steinmeier formula because of the stance taken by Kiev government representatives.

Donbass conflict: Kiev tries to avoid discussion over political solutions

9 Dicembre 2016 BreakingNews @en di

On Wednesday, Boris Gryzlov, Russia’s Plenipotentiary Representative at the Minsk talks, affirmed that official Kiev is making attempts to avoid discussions on the detailed political agenda aimed at finding solutions to the Donbass conflict. Nonetheless, Russia’s envoy at the Minsk peace talks said that it is impossible to find solutions to economic and humanitarian issues, without resolving key moments linked to the security issues and the political reform recorded in the Minsk accords. According to Gryzlov, the most important problems are the non-implementation of Minsk’s agreements and the lack of an agreement on the amnesty for separatist fighters of Donbass and on the exchange of prisoners. Gryzlov added that the clue needed to solve the tasks lies in implementation of a political package and in strict compliance with the security agreements.