You're reading: Klimkin says elections impossible in Donbas territories where foreign troops, weapons stay

It is impossible to hold elections in Donbas territories where foreign troops and weapons are stationed, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said.

“Under every criterion of the international law and every criterion that we have, elections are impossible by definition in the territory where foreign troops or foreign weapons are staying,” the minister said, answering questions of parliament deputies in the Verkhovna Rada on Oct. 7.

Local elections in Donbas will be held when the situation there meets security standards, Klimkin said.

“A key agreement on the parameters of the future elections in Donbas is that they should take place when the situation meets security requirements and is controlled by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and when the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is admitted to Donbas territory to monitor and follow the situation,” Klimkin said.

Klimkin also stressed that there can be no sweeping amnesty in Donbas.