DONETSK (Sputnik) — The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) will supply coal to Kiev strictly on a commercial basis and only after a sustainable truce is established in eastern Ukraine, a spokesperson for the DPR Transportation Ministry said Thursday.
"If we agree to do so [start coal deliveries to Kiev], it will be strictly a commercial deal that would follow a sustainable ceasefire," Ella Zhuranskaya told the Donetsk news agency.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Valery Voshchevsky earlier instructed a number of Ukrainian ministries and government agencies to prepare urgent proposals on ways to ensure coal supplies from Donbas.
"Technically, they cannot do it without our permission, as we told them a month ago that Donbas-based enterprises own railroads and coal [on the DPR territory]," Zhuranskaya stressed.
