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Poroshenko asks UN to send technical assessment mission to Donbass

Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko said he believes an UN-mandated multinational peacekeeping mission "could be a decisive factor in bringing peace to Donbass"

Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko EPA-EFE/RONALD WITTEK

Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko

© EPA-EFE/RONALD WITTEK

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Conflict in Ukraine ‘neither dormant nor frozen’ — UN official

UNITED NATIONS, February 20. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko has called for a UN technical assessment mission to be sent to Donbass to decide on the parameters of the peacekeeping mission there.

Poroshenko told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that he believes an UN-mandated multinational peacekeeping mission "could be a decisive factor in bringing peace to Donbass." "We are ready for a constructive discussion of this initiative," he added noting that "a technical assessment mission which the UN Secretary General could send to Donbass in order to elaborate represtive options would definitely assist to this discussion."

"For Ukraine, it is a matter of principle that any decision on establishing a peacekeeping operation in Donbass extend its mandate over the entire occupied territory, including border," Poroshenko said. He added that "it is also important that any peacekeeping operation is based on key UN peacekeeping principles - to be impartial, unbiased, and neutral in the first place.".

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Ukraine crisis Ukraine United Nations Eastern Ukraine Pyotr Poroshenko

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