Kyslytsya: Russia refuses to discuss order of local self-government in CADLR

“Ukraine has taken steps to implement agreed provisions concerning the political process. In particular, we submitted initial proposals to the Law ‘On the Special Order of Local Self-Government in Certain Areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions of Ukraine’ to the Trilateral Contact Group,” Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya said at the UN Security Council meeting convened by Russia over the implementation of the Minsk agreements on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

However, Russia, he said, refuses to consider them, as well as other issues on the agenda of the working group.

He reminded that, according to OSCE standards, the resumption of border control should be a necessary condition for holding local elections in Donbas.

"Otherwise, it would be impossible to create the necessary security conditions for democratic elections in accordance with OSCE standards," Kyslytsya said.

The intensification of the Normandy format and the Trilateral Contact Group is one of the necessary steps to resolve the situation, he said and noted that "both involving Russia and Ukraine as parties to the conflict and providing an appropriate basis for their direct dialogue."

However, according to the diplomat, as long as Russia puts forward a condition of a "direct dialogue" between Ukraine and Moscow's puppets from the "DPR/LPR", "the progress in implementing the Minsk agreements will remain unattainable."

Ukraine is ready to resume the Normandy Four talks in all formats, including at the level of leaders, Kyslytsya stressed. It is important that political advisers meet in Paris and Berlin, despite numerous differences over the implementation of the Minsk agreements, he added.

The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN reminded that the last meeting of the Normandy Four leaders had been held in Paris in December 2019. The decisions made at that meeting remain unfulfilled by Russia, despite Ukraine's regular initiatives for ceasefire, mine action, withdrawal of troops and equipment, release of detainees, new checkpoints, unimpeded access for the OSCE SMM throughout the conflict-affected territory, as well as the implementation of the political provisions of the Minsk agreements, Kyslytsya explained.

The UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Ukraine was held in New York on Thursday at the initiative of the Russian delegation to the United Nations.

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