Germany Dissatisfied With Course Of Minsk Reconciliation Process - Foreign Minister

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2019) Germany is not satisfied with the course of the Minsk reconciliation process and will propose initiatives on settlement of the conflict in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Friday.

"We are not satisfied with the course of the Minsk process but we will not decrease efforts and will make proposals on settlement of the conflict," Maas said at a joint press briefing with his Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin, as broadcast by the 5 Kanal tv channel.

The conflict in Donbas started in 2014, when the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republics in the region that refused to recognize the new government in Kiev, which came to power after what these republics considered to be a coup.

In 2015, a ceasefire deal was signed by the conflicting sides in Minsk following the talks brokered by the leaders of the so-called Normandy group � Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine. Despite this agreement, sporadic fighting has continued in Donbas. To date, the situation remains tense, with both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire.