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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Plans for sending UN peacekeepers to Ukraine being discussed by experts — diplomat

Moscow hopes the forthcoming meeting of Russian, German and French leaders will bring clarity to the problem of deployment of a UN peacekeeping contingent in south-eastern Ukraine

© EPA/ATEF SAFADI

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MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry hopes that the forthcoming meeting of Russian, German and French leaders will bring clarity to the problem of deployment of a UN peacekeeping contingent in south-eastern Ukraine, Alexander Lukashevich, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesman said on Thursday.

"Such plans have been discussed at the level of experts generally and they remain under discussion," he said. "We’ll watch the progress of negotiations."

"Let’s hope clarity will be brought to this issue," Lukashevich said.

Earlier, French President Francois Hollande said he would travel to Kiev with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday seeking a solution to the intensifying conflict in Ukraine’s south-eastern region of Donbas. On Friday, Hollande and Merkel will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting. "I can confirm that indeed tomorrow (February 6) talks are planned between Putin, Merkel and Hollande," he said.

"Leaders of the three countries will discuss what they can do to facilitate the end to the civil war in the south-east of Ukraine that has considerably intensified over the last few days and resulted in many casualties."

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Foreign policy Russian Foreign Ministry Eastern Ukraine

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