Ukraine’s representatives at negotiations in Minsk refuse to adhere to “Steinmeier formula” (UPDATED)

On February 1, Minsk hosted a regular meeting of the Contact group on the peaceful settlement of the conflict in Donbass. The main issue of discussion was a significant deterioration of the situation on the contact line.

According to the source’s reports at the peace negotiations from Minsk, actions of Ukraine’s representatives once again drive the negotiation process to a deadlock.

“By its actions and suggestions at the negotiations Ukraine drives in a deadlock this situation. Discussion of the issues of escalating conflict and brutal attacks on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, as a result of which dozens of houses and  socially significant infrastructure objects are destroyed, innocent civilians die and suffer, takes quite difficult. Representatives of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics are making every effort to find effective mechanisms to stabilize the situation on the contact line,” the source said.

Discussing the results of the political subgroups, Denis Pushilin insisted on the need for political support of “Steinmeier formula” by parties of the Contact group, to what representatives of the Russian Federation previously had called for.

“According to the DPR envoy the, the Contact group had sufficient time to become familiar with the text “Steinmeier formula” and study related issues. For the further work of the political subgroup Denis Pushilin suggested meeting participants either maintain “Steinmeier formula,” or continue to be led by Ukraine, which has neither the strength nor the desire to articulate even their own position. Unfortunately, Ukraine’s reaction was predictably unconstructive. Our opponents refused to maintain “Steinmeier formula”, the source in Minsk said.

The source also added that, according to the Coordinator of the OSCE Mr. Frisch, today’s meeting of the subgroup of humanitarian affairs has been most constructive.

After the meeting of the Contact group, the representative of the OSCE Chairman of the Contact group Martin Sajdik took part in the briefing, during which he answered the pressing questions relating to the decisions taken at the meeting in Minsk.

“In the humanitarian field an important positive element is the exchange of lists of names of people detained in connection with the conflict. Currently lists are being verified by parties.

Security issues were the main subject of discussions today. The result is a statement of the TCG (Trilateral contact group – Ed.) and the representatives of certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions with a call for a ceasefire in connection with Avdeyevka. In the Donetsk area, Avdeyevka, Yasinovataya, as well as all along the contact line  the TCG with the representatives of individual regions of Donetsk and Lugansk regions have called for strict adherence to the full and comprehensive ceasefire. By the 5th of February of this year to withdraw weapons falling under the Minsk agreements to a certain distance to the appropriate line in the place of their storage,” Martin Sajdik said.