Ukraine's Refusal To Grant Donbas 'Special Status' Risks Escalating Conflict - Lawmaker

Ukraine's refusal to give a special status to the eastern Donbas region will only escalate the conflict, a member of parliament from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic said Friday

DONETSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2020) Ukraine's refusal to give a special status to the eastern Donbas region will only escalate the conflict, a member of parliament from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic said Friday.

Ukrainian negotiators have ruled out changing the constitution to grant greater autonomy to the restive region during the latest round of talks within the Minsk Contact Group.

"This is a blatant violation of the Minsk accords. This kind of rhetoric will only lead to an escalation of the conflict, which we can observe along the line of separation [of forces]," Oleh Onopko told reporters in Donetsk.

The lawmaker warned that the stalemate between Ukraine and Donbas authorities in reconciliation talks will continue unless Ukraine's supporters in Germany and France make sure that Kiev honors its commitments.