Donetsk, Luhansk Leaders Holding Video Linkup With Kiev on Ukraine Crisis

According to a RIA Novosti correspondent, representatives of the self-proclaimed southeastern Ukrainian republics and Kiev officials are currently holding a video linkup conference on Ukraine crisis settlement.

DONETSK, December 19 (Sputnik) – Negotiators of the self-proclaimed eastern Ukrainian republics of Donetsk and Luhansk are holding a video linkup with Kiev government representatives days before the reconciliation talks are to resume in Kiev, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Friday.

Earlier this week, senior Donetsk People’s Republic negotiator Denis Pushilin said it would be useful for the sides to hold a video conference prior to meeting at the negotiating table in the Belarusian capital Minsk Sunday.

The so-called Contact Croup on Ukrainian reconciliation, comprising representatives of Kiev, independence supporters, Moscow and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), have already met in Minsk in September, which resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the warring sides.

The Group has set conditions for the two warring parties, including the requirement to lay down arms, roll back heavy artillery from the frontline and create a buffer zone along the line of contact.

However, following the agreement the opposing parties have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce.

In early December, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko announced the start of a "silence regime" in the country's southeastern regions beginning December 9 in an effort to renew ceasefire efforts. The ceasefire regime was expected to be followed by another Contact Group meeting in Minsk on December 12, which was put off to give the sides more time for additional preparations.

On December 17, Poroshenko announced that next round of talks on reconciliation in Ukraine would take place in Minsk on Sunday, December 21.