Kurt Volker, the Special Representative of the U.S. State Department for Ukraine Negotiations, has announced a visit of the construction team to Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk region) on Monday, July 29, to inspect the scope of work to restore the bridge.

"Construction engineers have already had an opportunity to visit the bridge. As I understand, construction engineers may have another visit on Monday," he said a briefing in Kyiv on Saturday.

At the same time, the American diplomat expressed the opinion that it would be possible to achieve progress in the restoration of the bridge if Russia takes steps to support this project.

On July 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine was ready to unilaterally begin restoring the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk region) area if dismantling of fortifications doesn't begin from the occupied territories within a week.

The Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) for the settlement of Donbas conflict at a meeting on on July 17 agreed to begin the joint dismantlement of fortifications in the area of Stanytsia Luhanska as soon as possible, specifically the removal of an installation on the bridge across the Siversky Donets River.