Minsk Talks to Result in Document on Ukraine Crisis Resolution - Ambassador

The Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus hopes the sides will sign a final document on the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis.

MINSK (Sputnik) — The peace talks on Ukrainian crisis that started in Minsk Wednesday will result in signing a final document, Ukrainian Ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Ezhel told RIA Novosti Wednesday.

"After all talks are concluded the parties intend to sign a final document. Currently, the work of the Contact Group is under way. The parties to the "Normandy format" are also holding talks," the ambassador said.

Currently, the Contact Group involving envoys from Kiev, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, Russia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) are holding consultations in Minsk.

The ongoing summit meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande follows last week's contact between the leaders, as well as preparatory work by the countries' foreign ministers and a meeting of a Contact Group on Ukraine.

The armed conflict in Ukraine’s breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where government forces are fighting local independence supporters, has claimed more than 5,400 lives since last April, according to the latest UN data.

While Russia, Germany and France are calling for a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, the United States is considering sending lethal aid to the Kiev authorities. Russia has voiced concern that the proposed US arms deliveries to Kiev could lead to a surge of violence in crisis-hit Ukraine.