Scholz: Ukraine to submit draft laws on ‘special status’, elections in CADLR for discussion

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that President Volodymyr Zelensky had promised to submit draft laws on "special status" and local elections in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADLR) for discussion.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said this at a joint press conference with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The Chancellor noted that Germany and France had intensified the efforts in the Normandy format, resulting in talks of political advisers in Paris and Berlin. He also underscored the importance of continuing these talks.

"It is, undoubtedly a difficult process, but I am sure it is worth the efforts. President Zelensky and I agreed that the Normandy format, along with the US-Russia-OSCE talks, is an important format for negotiations with Russia. The President assured me that Ukraine would submit draft laws on ‘special status’ [of CADLR] and on local elections [in temporarily occupied CADLR] for discussion," Scholz said.

According to him, these bills are needed to get out of the situation when there is "some blocking of the negotiation process" to resolve the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The Chancellor noted that today's discussion with President Zelensky was very valuable as the parties had delved into "many details."

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at its meeting on December 2, 2021, extended the law on special order of local self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (CADLR) until the end of 2022.

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