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Moscow Ready for Ukraine Reconciliation Talks in Minsk This Week: Kremlin

© RIA Novosti . Alexei Nikolskiy / Go to the mediabankRussian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said Russia is doing everything possible to hold the Contact Group meeting in Minsk this week.
Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said Russia is doing everything possible to hold the Contact Group meeting in Minsk this week. - Sputnik International
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According to Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, Moscow is ready for the new Contact Group meeting the Ukrainian crisis to take place in Minsk this week.

Meeting of Contact Group in Minsk - Sputnik International
Donetsk, Luhansk Interested in Resuming Minsk Talks: Joint Statement
MOSCOW, December 8 (Sputnik) — Moscow expects the Contact Group on Ukrainian reconciliation to convene in the Belarusian capital Minsk later this week, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said Monday.

“We confirmed that we are ready [for the meeting] and do everything possible to hold the Contact Group meeting in Minsk this week. I expect it to take place,” the official told reporters.

In April, Kiev forces launched a military operation against independence supporters in eastern Ukraine, who refused to recognize the legitimacy of a new government that came to power following a February coup. According to UN data, the confrontation has claimed the lives of over 4,300 people.

Moscow So Far Not Considering New 'Normandy Format' Meeting on Ukraine Crisis

Deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s administration Valeriy Chaliy - Sputnik International
Peace Process in East Ukraine May Start December 9: Kiev
Moscow is not currently considering holding a new meeting on the Ukrainian crisis in the so-called Normandy format that includes the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told journalists Monday.

“This issue is not being considered,” Ushakov said.

Talks on Ukrainian reconciliation have been conducted in four formats so far — the Minsk format, the Geneva format, the Weimar format and the Normandy format.

The Minsk format has been lauded by both Kiev and Moscow as it allows for the participation of representatives from the eastern Ukrainian self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's republics, whereas the other formats only allow Kiev to be present.

The latest meeting of the Contact Group on the Ukrainian crisis, comprising representatives from Ukraine, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's republics (DPR, LPR), Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), was held in Belarusian capital Minsk on September 5.

The sides reached a ceasefire agreement, with provisions for its implementation being agreed on during the next round of Minsk talks that took place on September 19.

However, since then both sides have accused each other of violating the truce.

Last week, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that the next meeting on the situation in eastern Ukraine will be held in Minsk on December 9. However, the DPR has suggested holding the meeting on December 12, while LPR head Igor Plotnitsky told RIA Novosti on Saturday that the final date for the talks had not yet been set.

Earlier on Monday, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the country has made all the necessary preparations for the event.

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