Russia must leave occupied territories before discussing 'Steinmeier formula' - Poroshenko

"Before conducting the Minsk negotiations, discussing the 'Steinmeier formula' and the disengagement of troops, which is mentioned at all in the Minsk agreements, it is necessary to achieve the implementation of the Minsk agreements that were signed by Russian representatives," the politician wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday.

According to Poroshenko, Ukraine should not withdraw troops, and Russia should leave 2,500 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in accordance with the Minsk agreements.

Earlier, Darka Olifer, spokesperson for Ukraine's representative in the Trilateral Contact Group Leonid Kuchma, said after a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk that the Ukrainian side had no fundamental objections to the essence of the so-called Steinmeier formula regarding local elections in Donbas, but it can be realized only if a number of conditions are fulfilled. In particular, the issue concerns a complete ceasefire; ensuring effective monitoring by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission throughout Ukraine; the withdrawal of armed forces of foreign troops and military hardware from Ukraine, etc.

On September 13, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said that the Ukrainian authorities were considering holding local elections throughout the country, including in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the "Steinmeier formula" and all points of the Minsk Agreements would be considered at the Normandy Four summit.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said that at the Normandy format summit it is necessary to record on paper "cast-iron agreements" on the disengagement of troops in Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrovske, a special status for Donbas and the so-called Steinmeier formula.

op