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Kremlin waits for Berlin, Paris to comment on Donbas special status

Russian presidential spokesman said the presence of US and British military instructors in Ukraine won't contribute to easing tensions

© Mikhail Pochuyev/TASS

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MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. The Kremlin hopes that Germany and France will offer their comments on the Ukrainian parliament’s resolution regarding the special status of Donbas.

"So far we have not heard any evaluations by our counterparts or partners [in the Normandy quartet]," Russian presidential spokesman told the media. "We still hope that their comments will follow."

He speculated that if a "dangerous disruption" occurs in the process of implementing the Minsk Accords, this will require resolute efforts by all guarantors.

"We support any dialogue," Peskov said.

He also said that the presence of US and British military instructors in Ukraine, if it is confirmed, "by no means contributes to building confidence or easing tensions."

"It can be unequivocally stated that this does not contribute to a settlement," Peskov said.

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Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada on March 17 approved of a list of districts in Donbas to which special administration rules apply, but their implementation has been postponed untill direct elections there in accordance with Ukrainian legislation. Also, the Ukrainian parliament adopted a resolution declaring the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics as "temporarily occupied territories." According to the document the status will be effective "until all illegal armed groups and military equipment, as well as militants and mercenaries are removed from Ukrainian territory and Ukraine has re-established full control of the state border."

Peskov earlier told the media that "now, in view of the latest decisions by the Verkhovna Rada we are possibly farther away from the implementation of the Minsk Accords than we were several days ago." Moscow is waiting for comments from Paris and Berlin.

Meanwhile, Peskov said, the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine have not yet agreed on a new "Normandy format" meeting or telephone discussion.

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Ukraine crisis Eastern Ukraine

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