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Ukraine refuses to discuss hostage exchange, says Russian envoy

Boris Gryzlov pointed out that the Ukrainian delegation has demonstrated their "complete unwillingness to resolve or even discuss security issues"

MINSK, February 27. Representatives of Ukraine refused to discuss security issues and hostage exchange during the session of the Contact Group for the settlement in eastern Ukraine, Russian envoy to the group Boris Gryzlov stated on Wednesday on the outcomes of the session.

"The Ukrainian delegation has refused to discuss the question of exchanging detained persons to Donetsk and Lugansk in accordance with the obligations they undertook in December 2017," he said.

Gryzlov pointed out that the Ukrainian delegation has demonstrated their "complete unwillingness to resolve or even discuss security issues." "Instead, the representatives of Kiev tried to achieve their election objectives. The Ukrainian delegation attempted to change the agenda of the meeting and made propagandistic statements irrelevant to the Minsk agreements," he stressed.

Gryzlov also highlighted the need to demine the areas near the line of contact, in order to avoid loss of life.

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