Ukrainian lawyers will be prepared to offer their services should members of illegal armed groups in the area of the military operation in eastern Ukraine agree to surrender their weapons.

"We believe that it will be useful because, first, it will come as further encouragement to lay down arms, and, second, will make this process absolutely legitimate," lawyer Rostyslav Holosiy said at a press conference on Friday.

Lawyer Mykola Kushnirenko, who also attended the press conference, explained that if lawyers join these efforts before criminal prosecution is launched, they will be able to persuade all those willing to surrender that this procedure and the state's further intentions concerning them are honest.

Furthermore, lawyers' involvement in this process at the initial stage will help prevent the international community's possible accusations of human rights violations, and, consequently, potential sanctions against Ukraine, he said.

Ukraine should take advantage of its law guaranteeing free legal aid as a key component of such measures, he said.

The Ukrainian lawyers' initiative will soon be forwarded to the presidential administration and the National Security and Defense Council, Kushnirenko said.

"We want to help the president restore peace to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions," he added.