MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. Positive developments are on the horizon following Wednesday’s meeting of the Contact Group on resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told reporters on Thursday.
"Positive changes are evident," he said. "Everyone was looking forward to such an approach," the senior Russian diplomat noted, pointing out that a new ceasefire would take effect on July 21 and "there is progress as far as the reconstruction of a bridge near Stanitsa Luganskaya goes."
"The tone itself has slightly changed," Karasin noted. "It is too early to speak about crucial changes but in any case, there is a need to build on this trend," the Russian deputy foreign minister emphasized.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Representative Martin Sajdik said on July 17 that the Contact Group agreed to declare an indefinite ceasefire in Donbass starting on July 21. In addition, the Group highlighted the need to abandon offensive, reconnaissance and subversive operations, as well as shelling and sniper attacks, deployment of heavy weapons in settlements and civil infrastructure facilities, including schools, kindergartens, hospitals and public places, Saidik noted.