Belarus will host talks between Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE security and rights organization on the crisis in eastern Ukraine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's office said Wednesday.
It did not say when the talks would take place but Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked Lukashenko to host them on Thursday and to focus on securing access to the site where a Malaysian airliner was brought down in east Ukraine.
There was no indication pro-Russian separatists fighting Ukraine's army would attend the talks, although Lukashenko's office said "all interested sides" were invited.
The talks are expected to involve Russia's ambassador to Kiev, Mikhail Zurabov, and former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, who have met several times since the crisis in Ukraine began but have failed to secure a breakthrough.
The fighting in eastern Ukraine prevented representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reaching the crash site on Tuesday for the third successive day.
"Decisions are being made on a political level on ensuring safety on the site," Michael Bociurkiw, a spokesman for the OSCE in Ukraine said Wednesday. "Today, as far as we know, we will not be going there."
An OSCE convoy had earlier Wednesday been stopped by rebels about 10 kilometers outside the city of Donetsk because of fighting further along the route, but OSCE officials later denied it had been trying to reach the crash site.
Poroshenko wants the talks in Minsk to also discuss the release of hostages that Kiev says are being held by the rebels in east Ukraine, the Ukrainian presidency said in a statement on Facebook.
He appears to have turned to Belarus for help because the former Soviet republic is a Moscow ally but also has a solid relationship with Ukraine.
The regional authorities in Donetsk, one of the regions worst hit by the fighting in east Ukraine, said Wednesday morning that 19 people had been killed in the past 24 hours.
Kiev's military offensive has forced the rebels out of some areas they held except their strongholds in and around the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, and fighting has intensified since the deaths of 298 people when the airliner was brought down on July 17.
The West says the rebels probably shot the plane down by mistake and accuses Russia of arming them. Moscow denies this.
See also:
Malaysian Plane Crashes in Conflict-Torn Eastern Ukraine
OSCE Barred From Accessing Crash Site by 'Intoxicated' Gunmen
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
