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Ukraine hinders stable Donbass ceasefire — Russia’s envoy

Earlier on Wednesday, a session of the Contact Group took place in Minsk

MINSK, April 24. /TASS/. The Ukrainian delegation is blocking the efforts on introducing a stable ceasefire in Donbass during the negotiations of the Contact Group for settlement in eastern Ukraine, Russia’s envoy to the group Boris Gryzlov said on Wednesday.

"In order to establish a stable ceasefire, one needs to implement various measures as additional guarantees of maintaining the ceasefire. Unfortunately, the Kiev side has once again refused to approve these measures, although Donetsk, Lugansk, as well as the mediators agree on their necessity," the envoy stated.

Gryzlov added that the necessary measures include the approval of corresponding ceasefire orders, effective implementation of disciplinary measures in case the ceasefire is breached, abandonment of all offensive and reconnaissance actions, as well as other measures.

Earlier on Wednesday, a session of the Contact Group took place in Minsk. The next session is scheduled for May 22.

On April 18, members of the Contact Group on peaceful settlement in Donbass failed to agree on establishing a comprehensive and stable ceasefire for the first time since the hostilities had begun. "Kiev refused to take additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire regime which were supposed to ensure strong security and transition to political settlement," Gryzlov said earlier. "Proposals of Donetsk and Lugansk, which were supported by Russia and earlier by the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe], were refused," he added.

The Donbass republics later claimed that they are ready to agree on a new ceasefire at any time.

The latest agreement on ceasefire (the so-called "spring ceasefire") entered into force on March 8, 2019.