MOSCOW, 18 February (BelTA) – The key to restoring peace in Ukraine is Kiev's implementation of the Minsk agreements, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the media following a meeting with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Moscow on 18 February, BelTA has learned.
The president noted that the process of resolving the situation in the south-eastern part of Ukraine is still stalled. In his opinion, this is due to the fact that Kiev is not fulfilling the Minsk agreements, refusing direct dialogue with Donetsk and Lugansk, sabotaging the agreements to give a special status to the Donbass, to hold local elections there and to amnesty.
“The Belarusian president and I stated that the key to restoring civil peace in Ukraine and relieving tension around that country is to implement the Minsk agreements. All Kiev needs to do is to sit down at the negotiating table with representatives of the Donbass and agree on political, military, economic and humanitarian measures to end the conflict. The sooner that happens, the better it will. Unfortunately, right now we are witnessing an aggravation of the situation in the Donbas," Vladimir Putin said.
