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Minsk confirms readiness to host Contact Group meeting on January 27

The last two-day meeting of the political sub-group took place behind closed doors in Minsk on January 19-20

View of the President Hotel where a meeting of the Ukraine contact group on settlement of the Ukrainian crisis takes place Viktor Drachev/TASS

View of the President Hotel where a meeting of the Ukraine contact group on settlement of the Ukrainian crisis takes place

© Viktor Drachev/TASS

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Kiev’s envoy to Contact Group: Settlement process in Donbas to collapse without Minsk-2

MINSK, January 26. /TASS/. Belarus is ready to host the meeting of the Contact Group on settling the situation in Ukraine’s south-east and its four sub-groups on January 27, Belarusian Foreign Ministry’s press service head Dmitry Mironchik told TASS on Tuesday.

"The political sub-group is holding a meeting today. We are preparing for hosting a Trilateral Contact Group and its sub-groups tomorrow," Mironchik said.

The last two-day meeting of the political sub-group took place behind closed doors in Minsk on January 19-20.

Establishing working sub-groups on security, political, economy and humanitarian components of the Minsk accords is envisaged by the Minsk accords signed on 12 February 2015, after negotiations in the so-called "Normandy format" in the Belarusian capital Minsk, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The Minsk accords also envisage ceasefire, weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local election in Donbass, and constitutional reform in Ukraine.

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Ukraine crisis Eastern Ukraine

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Israeli aviation strikes towns in Gaza Strip

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Military base near Iran’s Isfahan hit following attack — newspaper

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Russia ready for Ukraine talks, but not with Zelensky — Lavrov

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BRICS looking at creating common digital payment platform

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Russia to scrap moratorium on intermediate missiles if US deploys them anywhere — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov said the US seeks to maintain military superiority in a great variety of areas

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Founder of neo-Nazi cell in Crimea flees to Georgia — source

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Armenia’s relations with Russia not at their highest — top diplomat

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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French president says creating Israeli-type air defense network for Ukraine impossible

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Kremlin declines to comment on alleged assassination attempt on Zelensky in Poland

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Proposals on Russian assets confiscation undermine financial system — Finance Minister

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

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World’s anti-doping agency WADA still waits for Russia’s 2023 financial contribution

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Russia delivers 34 strikes on Ukrainian military infrastructure over week — top brass

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Drones downed over Isfahan cause no damage, says Iranian foreign minister

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Russia not to go for settlement on Ukraine based on 'Zelensky formula' — Lavrov

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Iran threatens to attack Israel's "nuclear centers" in case of aggression on its part

Ahmad Haqtalab argued that Israel had been conducting "subversive and terrorist activities" against the Islamic republic's nuclear infrastructure for year

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Nearly half of those present in UN Security Council hall walk out before Israel’s address

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

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Ukraine’s new ethnic minorities law insufficient to protect Magyars — Hungarian president

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Russian military base may appear in CAR’s eastern region — President Touadera

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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