Obama in conversation with Putin has raised the issue of elections in the occupied Donbass

U.S. President Barack Obama , in conversation with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin stressed the need to find modalities for the holding of local elections on the temporarily occupied part of the Donbass. This is stated in the press service of the White house.

«President Obama emphasized the importance of working towards a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine through full implementation of the Minsk agreements by all parties. The President stressed that the next key step for all parties is to reach agreement on modalities of local elections in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, which must meet the standards of the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe», — stated in the message.

The conversation Putin and Obama took place on the evening of January 13. In the Kremlin noted that Putin in conversation with the U.S. President stated the need for harmonization of the Constitution of Ukraine with Pro-Russian militants who seized parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Recall, December 30, 2015 held telephone talks the leaders of «Norman Quartet» (Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France). The parties agreed on the extension of the Minsk agreements and new meeting of foreign Ministers in January 2015.

The representative of Ukraine in the tripartite contact group on settlement of the conflict in Ukraine Roman Bezsmertny said that as of 1 January 2016 has begun «the process of the Minsk-3».

January 11, flew to Kiev a Russian representative to the Minsk talks, former speaker of the state Duma Boris Gryzlov. According to media reports, he held a secret meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

On 13 January the President of Ukraine has held a phone conversation with Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and President of France Francois Hollande. Among other things, they raised the issue of the modalities for the elections in the occupied Donbas.

Obama in conversation with Putin has raised the issue of elections in the occupied Donbass 14.01.2016