You're reading: Russian, Ukrainian foreign minister discuss Donbas settlement issues

MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin have discussed on the phone the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

“The Russian side accentuated the task of completing demilitarization of Shyrokyne via the pullout of Ukrainian armed units, as that had been done by the militia. It was agreed to promote a focus of upcoming meetings of the Contact Group and the JCCC on practical steps towards de-escalation of tensions along the contact line,” says a report posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry website on July 18.

The Russian minister also stressed the need to resolve problems related to the implementation of the constitutional reform in Ukraine, provision of the special status of Donbas and holding of local elections there in strict compliance with the Minsk agreements, via direct dialogue of Kyiv with Donetsk and Luhansk.

In addition, the sides discussed humanitarian aid to the Donbas population.