KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2019) Kiev is ready to include provisions for the so-called Steinmeier formula in future legislation on the special status of Donbas, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Monday.
On October 1, the Contact Group on Ukraine met in Minsk and signed an agreement for a peace plan dubbed the Steinmeier formula, which envisages a special status for Donbas in exchange for the latter holding local elections in line with Ukrainian law and overseen by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The plan has been received poorly by the public.
"We are ready to take the step of introducing it in Ukrainian legislation. Most likely, it will be integrated into the law on special status [of Donbas]," Prystaiko said in an interview with Ukrainian news agency UNIAN.
The bill on the special status of Donbas was passed by the Ukrainian parliament in 2014 but was never enacted. Following last week's summit of the Normandy Four group � Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France � in Paris, the parliament extended its validity until December 31, 2020.
Kiev also hopes that the United States will appoint a new special representative for Ukraine as soon as possible, Prystaiko said. The previous US Special Envoy for Ukraine, Kurt Volker, resigned in late September after being mentioned in the whistleblower complaint that sparked an impeachment inquiry against US President Donald Trump.
"The direct communication channel was maintained at the level of the Russian presidential aide, Vladislav Surkov, and Kurt Volker. Frankly speaking, we feel a deficit of such work on the US side and would like this post to be filled in any form as soon as possible," Prystaiko said.
He also said that Kiev was allowing its US partners to choose how to organize such a communication channel.
As for Zelenskyy's possible visit to the United States, Prystaiko said it was untimely due to the ongoing impeachment probe.
"Obviously, it is not the best time [for a visit] when the impeachment investigation is underway. Unfortunately for us, Ukraine is also mentioned. Therefore, we must at least wait until the investigation is over. This is an internal matter of the US. Ukraine is just waiting for an invitation," the foreign minister said.
Trump and Zelenskyy met in late September on the sidelines of the 74th UN General Assembly in New York.
The impeachment inquiry against the US president was launched by House Democrats in September after a whistleblower complaint revealed that Trump may have abused his power and pressured Zelenskyy during a July 25 phone call to investigate the possible corruption of his political rival, Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter, the then-top manager of the local energy company, Burisma.
