Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak notes that the idea of creating an Advisory Council within the framework of the TCG (Trilateral Contact Group) was discussed in the format of telephone conversations of political advisors in the Normandy format, and will be further considered after consultations with partners from France, Germany and the OSCE, which are still ongoing.

"Yes, indeed, the Coordination Council was discussed in a telephone conversation of political advisors in the Normandy format. And, as a decision was reached in Minsk, the idea of creating such a council will be further considered after consultations with our partners from France, Germany and the OSCE. These consultations are still are continuing," he said during an online briefing on Tuesday, answering a question from Interfax-Ukraine.

The Minsk Agreements were signed by representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics ("DPR" and "LPR") and stipulate conditions, in line with which Ukraine "should coordinate certain legislative acts with representatives of these territories," Yermak added.

"For the more than five years that this process has been held in Minsk, these talks have only been attended by representatives from the so-called DPR and LPR [Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics]. They are not TCG members, and while this [Ukrainian] administration [is in power], they never will be," Yermak said.

Today, the Ukrainian side is willing to speak with Ukrainian citizens who temporarily live on "the occupied territories," and who are not participants of the war in Donbas and "did not shed blood of our heroes and our fighters," and this stance has never changed, Yermak said.

The idea of setting up a coordination council was caused by Ukraine's desire to end "the monopoly of 'DPR' and 'LPR' representatives on the representation of certain Donbas districts," the Ukrainian presidential office's chief of staff said.

"And, this platform, for which we have found this working name, is precisely the realization of this idea. Therefore, we addressed this issue, but said that this issue will be ultimately settled after the consultations with our German and French partners, as well as with the OSCE," he said.

Ukraine initially called for and is calling for this platform to be created by the civil society and for it to include no participants who are appointed by the state, he said.

"Today, these consultations are ongoing. And, only after consultations with Ukrainian society, parliament on this issue final decisions will be made," Yermak said.