“Depending on how the events unwind, we understand that we have only one direction, which is what was signed in the Minsk agreements. But it remains unclear that Ukraine will fulfill what was signed unfortunately,” Pushilin said during a roundtable discussion in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.
Pushilin added that eastern Ukraine would “need to review other variants and be prepared” for any developments.
Meanwhile, the leader of neighboring Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) told reporters on Thursday that he could not rule out the possibility of resumption of fighting.
"Ukraine is not going to abide by the agreements that we have signed. It is evident. The probability of resumption of the war exists," Plotnitsky said, noting that the LPR carries out staff training and might create additional troops.
Kiev and the two self-proclaimed republics reached a new ceasefire deal earlier in February, following marathon talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia on Ukrainian conflict settlement in Minsk, Belarus.
The leaders’ meeting and the ceasefire agreement followed weeks of intensified clashes in eastern Ukraine, despite a previous truce signed last September.
Fighting subsided in most areas after the new agreement came into effect on February 15, according to international monitors in the region, though sporadic attacks have since been reported.
Earlier in the week, the DPR said it had begun the withdrawal heavy weaponry from the contact line with Kiev-led forces, in accordance with the peace agreements.
On Thursday, a Ukrainian military spokesman stated that Kiev’s forces were holding their positions, and no order for pullout from the contact line had yet been received.
