First Deputy Verkhovna Rada Speaker and member of the Minsk Trilateral Talks Iryna Gerashchenko has underlined the willingness of the Ukrainian side to compromise on the issue of hostages release kept in Donbas. However, she notes the lack of implementation of the relevant agreements on the part of Russia and the DPR [Donetsk People's Republic] and the LPR [Luhansk People's Republic].

"The hostages are kept not by Ukraine. We are ready for the greatest compromises in this regard, and this year we have claimed about them at all meetings, offering to transfer those 50 hostages who committed the crime to release 25 hostages (as the ORDLO [certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions] has confirmed it has 25 hostages) by offering to exchange them for eight saboteurs in June to release our hostages in the occupied territories. They offered to hand over 228 of hostages, where it is possible, to make free 58 hostages, confirmed by the ORDLO. We voiced our proposals at meetings in the OSCE presence, informed that the public will not prevent the negotiation process," Gerashchenko wrote on her Facebook page on Monday night.

Ukrainian side in response to all Ukrainian compromise proposals heard the answer "no" from the ORDLO. "Why? Doesn't it matter for them that 228 people, which they requested for, be at home during the New Year holidays. What else has the Ukrainian side done wrong? There is a sole answer: We haven't surrendered Ukraine, didn't throw it under the bus and didn't promise to vote for the amnesty ... therefore, Moscow is blocking the release of hostages, blackmailing Ukraine," Gerashchenko said.