Kurt Volker, U.S. special representative for Ukraine, is expected to discuss deconflicting the situation in Donbas with Vladislav Surkov, an aide of the president of Russia.
Their meeting is to take pace on Friday.
In an interview with bbc.com Volker said that if Russia wanted peace in the region, it would be possible.
“But I do not know what Russia wantsat the moment. It is necessary to obtain this information directly from Moscow,” Volker said.
“If Russia retired [from the conflict – bbc.com], it would be in the interests of all parties,” the U.S. envoy stressed.
According to Kurt Volker, the armed conflict may be stopped during a year.
On January 18, the Ukrainian parliament adopted a law on the reintegration of Donbas, which considers Russia ‘as an occupier state. The Kremlin has repeatedly its involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. In December 2017, Vladimir Putin said that there were no Russian troops in Donbas, but some ‘local militia formations’.
