Minsk Agreements to Be Ratified by Donbas People’s Councils – DPR Envoy

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The agreements reached by the Contact Group on Ukraine in Minsk are to be ratified by the people's councils of the self-proclaimed republics in southeastern Ukraine (Donbas), Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) envoy to the talks, Denis Pushilin, has announced.

"In accordance with all international norms…of course, the signatures of our leaders must be ratified by the people's councils. We plan on doing that on Saturday," Pushilin told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande held 16-hour Normandy format talks on Ukraine in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on Wednesday and early Thursday.

Their meeting resulted in two agreements. The first document was signed by members of the Contact Group on Ukraine, which comprises representatives from Russia, Kiev, the self-proclaimed people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk (DPR and LPR) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). It outlines a number of measures aimed at ending the conflict in southeastern Ukraine, including a ceasefire between Kiev forces and independence supporters (coming into force at midnight, February 15), the creation of a buffer zone between the two sides through the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the region and an all-for-all prisoner exchange.

The second document, signed by Normandy Quartet leaders, is a joint declaration in support of the measures agreed upon by the Contact Group.

The Minsk agreements also stipulate the implementation of constitutional reforms in Ukraine, including with the aim of de-centralizing power in the country and giving a special status to some parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.