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In Ukraine, the lines are slowly moving on the front line of the Donbass war. Kyiv authorities announced on October 29 the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the locality of Zolote.
With our special envoy to Marioupol, Stéphane Siohan
This disengagement was seen as a prerequisite for the continuation of negotiations between Kiev and Moscow, under the Minsk agreements . A first step was thus taken by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who reaffirmed at an economic forum in Mariupol his desire to put an end to the war.
According to an agreement signed in 2016, the Ukrainian army and the separatists had to withdraw from the small mining town of Zolote, one of the most violent contact points of the Donbass front line , which extends for about 450 kilometers .
Today is done. After several days of cease-fire, the Ukrainian army began its withdrawal, and according to an adviser to President Zelensky, met in Mariupol, both sides, Ukrainian and pro-Russian, fired Tuesday morning "white rocket" : a shell fired vertically, signaling, at this point, the end of hostilities.
" We are implementing our part of peace agreements, and we expect the same from Russia, " Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Tuesday.
It remains to be seen whether this gesture will translate into political progress. However, on Tuesday, it was learned by a diplomatic source that there would probably not be in November in Paris a summit in Normandy format between the presidents of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. The reason advanced: the lack of readiness of Moscow to sit around the table.