In the nearest rounds of negotiations in Minsk, the Ukrainian side expects to finally introduce a set of measures that would ensure a stable ceasefire in the war zone of Donbas after dozens of failed attempts to halt hostilities, according to Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
During a briefing on July 10, the official summarized the state of negotiations over Donbas following the July 3 Normandy Format meeting of political advisers of Ukrainian, Russian, German, and French leaders in Paris, and also of regular Russian-Ukrainian talks in Minsk.
“We all understand that the ceasefire (regularly declared in Donbas) is just a proclamation,” he said. “It has been announced on multiple occasions, but now we understand that we need a working mechanism. And indeed, thanks to our German and French partners we are very close to establishing this mechanism.”
The official did not, however, provide any details into the new plan that could allegedly make a difference after years of stalled fighting and perpetual ceasefire violations.
Besides, according to Yermak, the talks ended up setting an agreement on yet another prisoner exchange between the warring parties in Donbas that could be carried out in the near future.
The sides agreed to open two new cross-frontline entry points near the towns of Zolote and Schastya in Luhansk Oblast, the official also said, adding that negotiators continued discussing five potential areas of disengagement, three of which must be approved for yet another round of mutual pullout of combating forces in Donbas.
The political subdivision at Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, Yermak said, continued working over an upcoming bill on local governance in areas currently occupied by Russia in Donbas. According to the official, the document is being prepared in full compliance with the so-called Steinmeier Formula, which says that local elections in currently occupied Donbas can be carried out only after full cessation of hostilities and full withdrawal of foreign armed formations.
“If the model of representation of (Russian-occupied districts of Donbas) proposed by Ukraine works, it will be a serious step forward for enactments (the occupied zone of Donbas) envisaged by the Minsk accords to be presented and discussed in the Verkhovna Rada, committees, in society and so on,” the official said.
“(Local elections in occupied Donbas can be carried out) only in light of all security issues resolved, undoubtedly in compliance with the Ukrainian legislation, and (the OSCE Copenhagen criteria)…which particularly says that there can be no foreign armed formations in the area carrying out elections.”
Moreover, Yermak noted that “Ukraine is dominating the negotiations,” and that all sides involved were absolutely positive about holding a new Normandy Four meeting of leaders of Germany, Russia, France, and Ukraine, in Berlin in the nearest time.
However, just the day before, on July 9, the Russian envoy to the Donbas negotiations Dmitriy Kozak asserted that “…given the current position of Ukraine, there are simply no reasons for holding a new summit today and in the foreseeable future.”
