You're reading: Ukrainian peace talks end in Minsk

Another round of peace talks that were aimed at reaching a cease-fire in the east of Ukraine between Ukraine and rebel leaders is over. Almost five-hour negotiations ended for the night in Belarussian capital, Minsk on Dec. 24, and participants left the venue without commenting to reporters.

The meeting in Minsk was believed to be focused on a special status of Donbas region, troop withdrawals and ending Ukraine’s economic blockade of rebel-held territories.

“We hope that these efforts will in the end lead to the stabilization of the situation,” Anatoly Antonov, Russian Deputy Defense Minister told reporters in Moscow on Dec. 24.

In the contact group Ukraine is represented by former president Leonid Kuchma, Russia by its ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov, and the OSCE by its chairperson-in-office on Ukraine Heidi Tagliavini. The self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic has its deputy chairman of the Supreme Council Vladyslav Deinego while Donetsk People’s Republic is represented by Denis Pushylin, parliament speaker.

“The only comment on Dec. 24 negotiations on Donbass in Minsk so far: the meeting was preparatory and tough,” Sergei Utkin, Russian expert, who heads the Department of Strategic Assessment of Russian Academy of Sciences, tweeted on Dec. 24.

A second round of talks was expected on December 26, as it was earlier agreed by Ukraine, Russia, representatives of the self-proclaimed republics and the OSCE representatives.

However, Pushilin of Donetsk People’s Republic said the date of the further negotiations is still open to question, as he was quoted by ITAR-TASS news agency.

Despite the 5 September peace talks in Minsk, which included a cease-fire as part of a 12-point peace plan, shelling have continued in Donbas as the sides keep violating the agreement.

The total number of casualties in the east had reached at least 4,364 killed and 10,064 wounded, the United Nations estimates. While other 542,080 people remain displaced as of Dec. 18.

Meanwhile, Human rights group Amnesty International accused Ukrainian volunteer battalions of blocking aid delivery to the territories controlled by the Russia-backed separatists, according to their statement published on Dec. 23.

Kyiv Post staff writer Olena Goncharova can be reached at [email protected]