Contact group calls for full ceasefire in Donbass from December 24

The Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine called for a full ceasefire in the war in east Ukrainian region of Donbass from December 24 in view of the forthcoming holidays, an envoy of the group said here on wednesday.

Martin Sajdik, who represents the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in the contact group, said after emerging from a contact group meeting that a comprehensive, steady and indefinite ceasefire is starting from midnight on midnight of December 24 local time.

However, Sajdik acknowledged that "a significant number of obligations under the Minsk Agreement had not been fulfilled" so far this year.

The diplomat expressed confidence that "the lack of sufficient progress should not stop the negotiating process in the new year", and called for further work "with renewed vigor, with renewed enthusiasm."

He also expressed hope that the parties will continue to focus their attention on the issue of observing the ceasefire and disengagement on the contact line.

Sajdik welcomed the statement of the Ukrainian side about its willingness to unilaterally release the additional 15 people before the end of this year.

A war broke out in 2014 between the government forces and the pro-independent separatists in the region.A number of ceasefire agreements were signed but not fully implemented by the two warring sides.

The next meeting of the Contact group on the settlement of the situation in the east of Ukraine will take place on January 16, 2017. Endit