WASHINGTON. Dec 23- The U.S. administration considers a proposal for a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine as a positive step, which is to start from Dec.24, John Kirby, the U.S. Department of State spokesperson said at a briefing on Dec.22.
Kirby added the U.S. welcomes the statement of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk on the holiday cease-fire agreement in eastern Ukraine which is supposed to start on Christmas Eve at midnight (Dec.24).
At the same time, he noted that the U.S. government remains concerned about the deteriorating situation in the war-torn parts of Donbas and blamed “separatists and Russian forces” of the joint daily attacks on the Ukrainian positions, including with the use of heavy weapons, the use of which is prohibited by the Minsk agreements.
Kirby said the U.S. calls on Russia to use its influence on the separatists to end the violence, as it has been successfully done many times in the past, and provide access [to the conflict zone]for the SMM OSCE observers.
Trilateral Contact Group adopted a statement on the need for a comprehensive, sustainable and termless ceasefire on the eve of New Year holidays starting from Dec.24 at a meeting in Minsk on Dec.21.
