Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday welcomed the withdrawal of Ukrainian and separatist forces from front line positions in Stanitsa Luhanska in eastern Ukraine, marking a new step towards ending the conflict.

In the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, Zelenskiy told DW that his government is committed to finding a political solution to the conflict, which has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced millions more. DW's Nicholas Connolly caught up with Zelenskiy in Kramatorsk.

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'Waiting for a signal'

DW: We've seen both sides drawing back their positions in Stanitsa Luhanska. What are the next steps to peace?

Volodymyr Zelenskiy: The next step will be further talks in Minsk as part of the Trilateral Contact Group to agree on dismantling the concrete defenses in place on both sides. At the last meeting, our side was ready to take everything down in the space of a day. We did everything we could to make that happen. The other side told us they need eight or 10 days to do the same.

We are waiting for a signal from their side so it can happen simultaneously. The next question we will address — I hope — will be an exchange of prisoners of war.

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War crimes in Ukraine? The war enters the cities Fighting between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army has intensified around the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk. The situation for the local population keeps getting worse, the UN Human Rights Commission finds. It especially accuses the pro-Russian separatists of severe crimes.

War crimes in Ukraine? In mourning for father and son More than 1,100 people have been killed in the fighting since mid-April, according to the UN. Not just armed fighters, but also countless civilians, among them many children, have lost their lives. These people grieve for a father and his little son who died in artillery fire near Luhansk.

War crimes in Ukraine? Heavy weaponry in residential areas Civilians often get caught in the crossfire, according to the UN. Heavy weaponry is being employed in densely populated areas not just by the separatists, like here in Donetsk, but also by the Ukrainian army. The United Nations urge all sides to exercise better measures of precaution to protect civilians’ lives.

War crimes in Ukraine? Reign of terror by separatists The report accuses the pro-Russian separatists of abducting, torturing and executing people. The separatists are "rough and brutal" as well as "well-equipped and organized" and often under the command of Russian nationals, according to the UN Human Rights Commission. The UN body has 39 observers on the ground and has documented more than 800 cases of abductions by separatists since mid-April.

War crimes in Ukraine? Fleeing the East More than 100,000 people have had to leave their homes. Many live in emergency shelters, like here in Kharkiv, to escape the terror of the separatists and the fighting. There are also reports about Russian-speaking residents of eastern Ukraine who have fled to neighboring Russia.

War crimes in Ukraine? Shooting down MH17: a war crime On July 17, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board were killed. The passenger jet was most probably shot down by pro-Russian separatists. That could be interpreted as a war crime, said UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay.

War crimes in Ukraine? Justice in The Hague? Those responsible could face charges before the International Criminal Court. The UN Human Rights Commissioner warns: anybody violating international law will be brought to justice. That also applies to foreign fighters involved in the conflict. Author: Peter Hille



You say you want to engage with the Ukrainians living in separatist-held territory?

We need to talk to them all the time and we are already doing that. We are sending signals to them, we are telling them that we are all Ukrainians, we are all the same people. We are prepared to do everything required by the Minsk agreements. You know very well that neither I nor my team signed the Minsk agreements. But we are prepared to follow all the steps needed to implement the agreements in order to finally achieve peace.

But can you really reach the people in Donetsk and Luhansk?

It's a difficult question. I think many of them are listening to us. I believe in that or at least I really want to believe in that. We will do as much as we can to reach them, as long as it takes.

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Merkel's 'full support'

Does Europe still support Ukraine? After all, Russia has been allowed back into the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe.

I have spoken to Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron of France and just recently with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. All of them told me that we have their full support.

I really hope that going forward we'll see real deeds and not just words of support for Ukraine. What else can we do?

If we want to end this war by diplomatic means, which we really want to do, we have no other options. I hope that the other side will not undermine the measures we have already agreed to. We have agreed that the first meeting after a long period of silence will be in the Normandy format on July 12.

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