KIEV, August 24 (RIA Novosti) - Ukrainian diplomats are looking for a political settlement of the crisis in southeastern Ukraine, the country’s President Petro Poroshenko said Sunday, adding that steps toward peaceful settlement cannot be unilateral or be taken at the expense of the country’s territorial integrity.
“Our choice is peace, implementation of the peace plan for Donbas which I suggested back in June. However, steps toward peace cannot be unilateral. They cannot be taken at the expense of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity or independence. Our diplomacy is doing its utmost to find a political resolution,” Poroshenko said Sunday speaking at the military parade in downtown Kiev.
Since mid-April, Kiev forces have been conducting a military operation in southeastern Ukraine, aimed at suppressing independence supporters who refused to acknowledge the new government that came to power following a February 22 coup.
In June, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko unveiled a 15-point peace plan to de-escalate the country’s conflict, which includes a ceasefire.
On August 26, Minsk will host a meeting between Ukraine, the European Union, the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. According to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s press service, the meeting will address a number of urgent political and economic issues, the stabilization of the situation in eastern Ukraine.
