MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has pointed to the need of implementing the political part of the Minsk agreements without delay and lifting Kiev’s blockade in southeastern Ukraine during a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, the Kremlin press service reported on Tuesday.
"Putin spoke out in favor of launching work on the implementation of the political aspects of the Minsk agreements without delay. He stressed the importance of synchronizing steps in security and political settlement, which should be reflected in the draft roadmap drawn up by the leaders’ aides in accordance with the decisions of the Normandy Four summit in Berlin on October 19, 2016," the press service said.
They also raised the issue of "the complex humanitarian situation" in southeastern Ukraine. "Putin again pointed to the need of lifting Kiev’s blockade of the region at an early date and taking urgent steps to solve the socio-economic problems of Donbass residents, as envisaged by the Minsk Package of Measures (on the Minsk-2 implementation - TASS) ," the Kremlin press service said.
While discussing the current situation in southeastern Ukraine, "(the three leaders) focused on the need to ensure a sustainable ceasefire along the entire line of engagement." "They pointed to the importance of compliance with the Easter truce as of April 1 announced by the Minsk Contact Group by all parties to the internal Ukrainian conflict and other agreements aimed at deescalating the situation. That concerns primarily the withdrawal of heavy weapons and disengagement of manpower and materiel, in particular, in Stanitsa Luganskaya," the press service said.