Conflict in Donbas not frozen, but highly dangerous - Gabriel
He stated this on Wednesday before flying out to Ukraine, Ukrinform's correspondent in Germany reports.
"With a trip to Kyiv and Mariupol we want to show people in Ukraine that we will not let you down. For us, this conflict is neither frozen nor forgotten, but highly topical and highly dangerous," Gabriel said.
He noted that the largest surge of violence since the signing of the Minsk agreements had been recorded in eastern Ukraine last year.
At the same time, he described as encouraging signs the exchange of detainees and the agreement on a New Year and Christmas truce. "It has to go on like this," Gabriel said.
He said that Western partners, including Germany, would make every effort to resolve the crisis and find a solution that would bring peace to this region.
German Foreign Ministry spokesman Rainer Breul said at a government briefing in Berlin that political talks would be held with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission during a visit to Kyiv on January 3 and a visit to the disengagement line near Mariupol on January 4.
"Negotiations with the Ukrainian government will be devoted to the course of reforms in Ukraine, especially the fight against corruption," the diplomat said.
op
