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Lavrov says Kiev is trying to put brakes on political process in Donbass

Kiev declares that it does not consider leaders of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics as negotiation partners while Moscow insists on the necessity to intensify work of the Contact Group

GUATEMALA, March 27. /TASS/. Official Kiev makes attempts to put brakes on settlement of the situation in south-eastern Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Guatemala on Thursday.

"Now all the efforts should be applied to restore the political process with regard of the Minsk agreements. And here we can see Kiev slowing down," Lavrov told a news conference at the end of his visit to Guatemala.

Official Kiev declares, bypassing the Minsk agreements, that it does not consider leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics as negotiation partners while Moscow insists on the necessity to intensify work of the Contact Group on resolving the conflict in south-eastern Ukraine," Lavrov said.

"We insist that the Contact Group should be engaged in full," Lavrov said noting that Moscow proposed to set up working subgroups on each item of the Minsk agreements within the framework of the Contact Group.

"Kiev has been heard saying yes but in fact has been stalling the process and only these days some movement is appearing," he said adding the idea should to be put into practice and Moscow would seek it.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

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