Russia rejects Ukraine's TCG initiatives on truce and prisoner exchange

This is reported by the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, specifying that the meetings took place on December 7.

The Ukrainian delegation put forward the following initiatives:

• Return to the lasting ceasefire by ensuring the implementation of measures to strengthen the ceasefire of July 22, 2020
• Opening of entry-exit checkpoints in Shchastia, Zolote, which were opened from the Ukrainian side back in November 2020
• Mutual exchange of detainees, which would release about 60 people in the near future

"These issues were discussed during the regular meeting of the TCG on December 8, 2021. Unfortunately, all initiatives of the Ukrainian delegation were rejected by the Russian Federation under contrived pretexts," the statement reads.

It is noted that on December 9, at an extraordinary meeting of the TCG, Ukraine proposed to expand the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination by involving representatives of not only the signatories of the Minsk Agreement but also authorized representatives of the Normandy format countries (with their consent) as an independent party. The purpose of such an initiative is to ensure a stable ceasefire, as well as to implement Paragraph 3 of the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, which provides for effective monitoring and verification of the ceasefire.

This proposal was categorically rejected by the Russian Federation.

According to the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, Russia also rejected Ukraine's proposal calling on the participants in the consultations to make statements on the restoration of the ceasefire from 00:01 on December 10 and commitment to measures to strengthen the ceasefire of July 22, 2020.

"Ukraine remains committed to the need for a stable ceasefire and is ready to continue working on it within the framework of the TCG and other formats," the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG said.

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