Interfax: Ukraine’s western partners to decide next steps on Donbas settlement based on Volker’s trip results

File Photo of Kurt Volker and W. Bruce Weinrod, adapted from image at defense.gov with photo credit to Senior Airman Nathan Lipscomb

KYIV. July 24 (Interfax) – United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has told Ukrainian parliamentarians that the results of his trip to Donbas will be reflected in western partners’ decision on further steps towards peaceful settlement.

At the start of their meeting Volker, who had just returned from the armed conflict zone in Donbas, shared his impressions from the trip: the conflict is in a hot phase, not frozen, as the West perceives it; infrastructure is damaged; the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe mission has no access to the breakaway territories; the ceasefire is being breached continually, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada said on Monday.

“He also said that based on the results of this trip, western partners will determine further steps aimed at peaceful settlement of the situation,” the Rada statement said.

Volker also emphasized the need to support the people living in the breakaway areas, so that they know that they matter to Ukraine.

[featured image is file photo from different occasion]

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