All news

Security subgroup on Ukraine settlement to focus on demilitarised zones — DPR envoy

Contact Group will discuss the establishment of demilitarised zones along the line of contact in Donbass at a meeting scheduled for June 2

MOSCOW, May 30. /TASS/. A working security subgroup of the Contact Group resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine will discuss the establishment of demilitarised zones along the line of contact in Donbass at a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, the head of delegation of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) at the Contact Group talks said on Saturday.

"On June 2 we will try to reach consensus on the issue," Denis Pushilin said. "We back up the idea that demilitarisation is much needed. A full-fledged ceasefire will be possible only in this way."

On Friday Presidents of Russia and France, Vladimir Putin and Francois Hollande, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had a telephone conversation on Friday, stressed the importance of OSCE-monitored withdrawal of heavy weapons and establishment of demilitarized zones along the line of engagement in Donbass, which is provided by the Minsk agreements.

Regular talks of the participants of the Trilateral Contact Group on east Ukrainian settlement comprising representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were held in the Belarusian capital Minsk on February 10-12. Talks of the Normandy Four (Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine) leaders on the Ukrainian issue also ended February 12 in Minsk.

A 13-point Package of Measures on implementation of the September 2014 Minsk agreements was adopted at the February talks.

The package in particular included an agreement on cessation of fire from February 15, withdrawal of heavy armaments, as well as measures on long-term political settlement of the situation in Ukraine, including enforcement of a special self-rule status for certain districts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.