LPR Negotiator Confirms Participation in February 10 Contact Group Talks

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) — The representative of eastern Ukraine's self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) Vladislav Deinego told RIA Novosti Sunday that he would take part in next Tuesday's Contact Group meeting on Ukrainian reconciliation.

"Has it really ever happened that we have not confirmed our participation [in a Contact Group meeting]? If a meeting has been announced, we shall surely be there," Deinego said.

According to the LPR negotiator, ensuring a ceasefire in the conflict-torn East of Ukraine will be a priority topic in the negotiations.

"We will be insisting to speak about ceasefire. Everything else is secondary. If we manage to cease fire for at least 10 minutes and save at least one life, this will be a result. But, of course, I'm hoping for more," Deinego said.

Earlier on Sunday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's press service announced that a meeting of trilateral Contact Group, comprising representatives from Kiev, eastern Ukraine's pro-independence forces, Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), will be held on Tuesday, February 10.

Last September, Kiev and the breakaway republics reached a ceasefire agreement at a Contact Group meeting. However, both sides have since accused each other of breaking the truce. In the beginning of 2015, the clashes intensified. The conflict has claimed more than 5,000 lives since April 2014.

On January 31, another round of Contact Group talks was held in Minsk, but failed to yield any results.