The law "On special order of local self-government in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions" may be extended for another year, as stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"Today, the parties have expressed interest in reaching an agreement within the Normandy format and the Trilateral Contact Group on all legal aspects of local self-government in certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and incorporating the Steinmeier formula," the Head of State told during a meeting with the media following the Normandy summit in Paris.

Speaking to journalists, Volodymyr Zelenskyy explained that it was easier now to extend the law on the special order of local self-government in certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions than to wait for its end and then vote for a new law on Donbas.

“So I think we need to continue. Moreover, it is enshrined in the Minsk agreements that we have to agree it with all parties in the TCG. This law is already there. We prolong it, but it is temporary - for a year. I was asked why not for 5 or 10 years. I answered honestly to all the representatives: we do not know what will be in 5-10 years. And 1 year is a normal offer,” the President of Ukraine said.

For her part, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the implementation of the "Steinmeier formula" was a certain procedure, including announcing a special status and holding local elections.

She also stressed that at the talks of the leaders of the Normandy Four in Paris the parties had felt good will to resolve difficult issues.

"There is this will finally, and we see a realistic solution to these problems," Angela Merkel said.

The German Chancellor also praised the first meeting between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. "I hope that both our meeting and the bilateral meeting between the presidents took place for the benefit of all," she said.