Ukraine Foes Begin Mutual Withdrawals in Donbas Region

Oct. 30, 2019 (EIRNS)—The process of reducing tensions in the Donbas region took a small step yesterday when the two sides in the Ukraine conflict reportedly began pulling their forces back from the town of Zolote in the Luhansk region. The next step is for a similar pullback from the town of Petrivske in the Donetsk region.

“Today, the Trilateral Contact Group received the information about the beginning of the disengagement of forces and equipment in Zolote. In accordance with the framework decision of the Trilateral Contact Group dated 2016; the next step will be the division of forces and equipment in Petrivske, if the ceasefire regime is observed for seven days,” Darka Olifer, the spokesperson of Ukraine’s Representative at the Minsk Talks, reported on Facebook.

These withdrawals are supposed to set the conditions for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said yesterday that President Zelensky is ready for a meeting with the Russian President. “I believe, yes,” he replied when asked by the media during an investment forum in Mariupol. “He has talked to him on the phone thrice. I am certain that he is well aware of what can be done and how.” It’s not clear, reports TASS, whether he was referring to a bilateral meeting or a Normandy Four summit, which would also include France and Germany.