U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt called on Ukrainian military servicemen not to give a handle to Russia to resume hostilities in Donbas during the New Year and Christmas holidays.

The Defense Ministry of Ukraine wrote on its Facebook page on Saturday that Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff Viktor Muzhenko held a protocol meeting with Maj. Gen. David W. Allvin, Director for Strategy and Policy at the Headquarters of the U.S. European Command, and Pyatt.

"When the discussion touched the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) in Donbas Pyatt highly appreciated Ukraine's efforts on efficient ceasefire on the contact line. He said that the key task in the coming days, especially during the New Year and Christmas holidays, is to help the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM OSCE) to monitor the flash points, so that Russia does not receive a handle to resume hostilities," the Defense Ministry said.

Allvin said that Ukraine should build own training system using own combat experience and the specifics of own country. The United States can only help and provide an independent assessment of the outcome.