In Minsk, a meeting of a political working subgroup of the contact group at the negotiations to resolve the crisis in Donbas was held. Ukrainian representative Herashchenko said that elections in the region can only be held if illegal units are disarmed, heavy weapons withdrawn, foreign troops removed, OSCE is given access to monitor the Ukrainian-Russian border, and the results of the 2014 "elections" are canceled.
According to official reports, there were no casualties among Ukrainian servicemen fighting in Donbas in the past day. The situation remains tense near Donetsk Airport, Horlivka and Mariupol, where militants keep firing at the Ukrainian positions using small arms, mortars, and armored vehicles.
In the town of Zolote in Luhansk region, SBU held a large-scale special operation to neutralize the agents and accomplices of the militants.
Employees of the former state-owned mines captured by DPR militants are not paid salaries and are forced to work by intimidation.
Spokesman for the National Guard Pavlovska said there were no plans to establish a new Crimean Tatars batallion and accused Crimean Tatar leader Islyamov of insinuations and false statements. She said that such initiative could only be implemented under the Ukrainian legislation.
Gazprom demanded that Ukraine pay $2.5 billion for the gas not supplied in Q3 according to the "take or pay" clause of the contract signed in 2009.
President Poroshenko discussed with the advisers to the heads of France and Germany the issues related to the de-occupation of Donbas. Foreign representatives expressed concern about the deteriorating situation in Donbas, noting the progress made by Ukraine in implementing the Minsk agreements.
According to German Foreign Minister Steinmeier, long-term de-escalation in Donbas can only be made possible by the election under the Ukrainian legislation, but given the deteriorating situation, ensuring security at the elections would be impossible.
Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations Elchenko believes that the militants will not prevent the UN mission starting January 23 from examining the situation in Donbas.
Foreign Minister Klimkin urged PACE to continue international pressure on Russia in order to force it to fulfill its obligations.
EU Head Tusk said that the governments of the EU countries have failed to fulfill their obligations to stop the flow of refugees. He said that the European governments had no more than two months to bring the situation under control, otherwise the EU and the Schengen are would face a "collapse."
The meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the ‘Normandy Four’ was rescheduled for early February.
Transparency International calls to investigate allegations of humanitarian aid trafficking and corruption among the management of the Ukrainian branch of the International Red Cross.
Amnesty International urged President Poroshenko to show political will and take steps to ratify the Rome Statute, which would allow to bring Russia to justice for the occupation of Crimea. If Ukraine fails to become the member of the International Criminal Court in The Hague by 1 January 2017, it will not be able to vote for the extension of the competence of the court to the Russian aggression.
Leader of the parliamentary faction of the Radical Party Lyashko said that the vote in Parliament to amend the Constitution is not likely to be held next week, since the Presidential Administration has so far failed to secure 300 votes necessary for the adoption of the amendments.
According to the Presidential Administration representatives, President intends to take a break and make Russia fulfill its part of the Minsk agreements before the vote to amend the Constitution.
Political analyst Aslund believes that the main tasks of Ukraine for 2016 should be to lustrate judges, to dismiss Prosecutor General Shokin, to increase the transparency of the budget process, to reform energy sector and public administration, to privatize large state-owned companies, and to sort out the education sector.
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