At the meeting are representatives of the Ukrainian government, Russian government and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as well as representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin and Vladislav Deinego, according to Ukraine’s national news agency, Ukrinform.
Michael Bociurkiw, spokesman for the OSCE’s special mission in Ukraine, confirmed that the talks had started at 4:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET). They had been expected to start Friday but were delayed.
A previous ceasefire agreement negotiated in Minsk in September crumbled long ago.
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“It should be understood that the main outcome of such violence is a surge in human suffering. I urge all sides to exercise maximum restraint, and fully assume their responsibility to prevent further displacement and suffering, and to redouble their efforts to reach a political settlement,” he said.
The government in Kiev and its Western allies accuse Russia of fueling the violence by sending troops and military equipment over the border into Ukraine. Moscow denies the allegation, although it has said some Russian soldiers are fighting in Ukraine as volunteers.
Journalist Victoria Butenko and CNN’s Lucy Pawle contributed to this report.
