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17Aug14

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Russian, Ukrainian, German and French FMs meet in Berlin to discuss Ukrainian crisis

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There are no guarantees that a four-party meeting on Ukraine that kicked off on Sunday in Berlin will be successful, but the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France will try to "outline steps" toward peace settlement, Germany's top diplomat said.

"The situation in Ukraine is difficult like before," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said prior to the start of talks with Sergey Lavrov, Pavel Klimkin and Laurent Fabius. "According to the latest reports, we are still far from the resolution of the crisis."

"We are far from a political solution," Steinmeier said. "The humanitarian convoy is still at the Russian side of the border."

He said the humanitarian cargoes should be "delivered to the Donetsk and Lugansk regions that urgently need them."

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry sent a 262-truck convoy with relief supplies for residents of the war-torn southeast of Ukraine on August 12. The cargo contains some 2,000 metric tons of humanitarian aid, including food (grain, sugar, baby food), medications, sleeping bags and portable power generators.

The first 16 white Kamazes have already arrived at the Donetsk border-crossing point in Russia. The trucks are at a local motor depot.

The southeastern Ukrainian Donetsk and Lugansk regions have been the scene of fierce clashes between troops loyal to Kiev and local militias as the Ukrainian armed forces are conducting a military operation to regain control over the breakaway territories, which on May 11 proclaimed their independence at local referendums.

Kiev has used armored vehicles, heavy artillery and attack aviation in its military operation, which has been conducted since mid-April. Hundreds of civilians have lost their lives in it. Many buildings have been destroyed and tens of thousands of people have had to flee Ukraine's southeast.

[Source: Itar Tass, Berlin, 17Aug14]

Ukraine Unrest

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