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Russia, US unable to reach consensus on UN mission in Donbass — Kremlin

Nevertheless, this issue remains on the agenda, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said

© AP Photo/Max Black

MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Russia and the United States have so far failed to reach a consensus on deploying the United Nations’ mission to the contact line in Donbass, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

"There are certain differences on the modalities and now the situation is still far from a consensus. But nevertheless, this issue remains on the agenda," Peskov said when asked about the chances to come to terms on this issue.

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Peskov recalled that the initiative to deploy the UN mission to the contact line in Donbass had been put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "It was outlined and suggested by the Russian side, including for Ukraine."

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson earlier said the US priority was to end violence in Ukraine. "So we will continue to work with Russia to see if we cannot agree a peacekeeping force that can enter Ukraine, reduce the violence," he said.

Following Putin’s order, on September 5 Russia’s UN mission sent a draft resolution to UN chief Antonio Guterres and President of the Security Council Koro Bessho on deploying a UN mission to the contact line in Donbass to ensure security of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission.

Putin stressed that the deployment of a UN contingent would become possible only after arms withdrawal and when approved by the self-proclaimed Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics.

Shortly after, Kiev stated that it is not satisfied with the format of the mission in Donbass proposed by the Russian president and that it insists upon deployment of "peacemaking forces" along the Russian-Ukrainian border.

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