Germany To Push For Deal On Eastern Ukraine Elections
Germany's top diplomat said he will push for a deal on holding local elections in eastern Ukraine before the European Union's sanctions against Russia expire at the end of July.
The foreign ministers of Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and France will meet in Berlin to discuss the plan on May 11.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on May 10 that he hopes for "progress in the security aspect, in the preparations for local elections, and in the organization of security for these local elections in order to prevent any return to escalation" of the conflict between Kyiv and pro-Russia separatists.
He said progress on implementing a cease-fire agreement forged in Minsk last year and resolving political issues such as the elections has been proceeding like "a snail that's moving forward by the millimeter, at best."
That can't continue indefinitely, he said.
"We need not just a clear pledge from the conflict parties tomorrow in Berlin but above all success in the implementation," he said.
Based on reporting by AP and AFP
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