Russian TASS Ignores the Truth: Trilateral Contact Group Fails to Sign New Ceasefire Deal

Kyiv, February 11. 2015. According to the unnamed source in the trilateral contact group that met in Minsk yesterday, the parties did not sign a new ceasefire deal. The source belies the statement distributed by Russian TASS news agency that the trilateral contact group has approved a ceasefire regime and a delineation of heavy weapons on both sides. Participants did not discuss a new “state structure” of Donbas and the organization of local elections either. “No decisions were made so far,” the source said.

The trilateral contact group will continue consultations today. Former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma and a former politician Viktor Medvedchuk represent Ukraine in these negotiations. Denis Pushylin and Vladislav Dainego represent the self-declared “Donetsk People’s Republic” and the “Luhansk People’s Republic” respectively. Heidi Tagliavini, the OSCE envoy, and the Russian Ambassador Mikhail Zurabov are participating in the negotiations as well.