Minsk

The latest push for peace in Ukraine appeared moribund on Dec. 25 after initial talks failed to agree when the warring sides should meet again to try ending their eight-month conflict.
       

KIEV - As holder of the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office next year, Serbia will do all to help de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine, Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic, who is on a visit to Ukraine in his capacity as future OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, said Tuesday.

MOSCOW - Serbia's OSCE chairmanship is a big challenge, but Belgrade can be a fair mediator in conflict resolution, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Moscow on Friday, while his Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic said that it is an opportunity to demonstrate creativity, justness and principled conduct to the world.

PARIS - Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said after a meeting with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius that Serbia has full support of France on its European path as well as in its OSCE Chairmanship next year.

France offers "full support" - Serbian FM

PARIS -- Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said after meeting with French counterpart Laurent Fabius that Serbia "has France's full support on the European road."

"The support is not absent even when it comes to the Serbian presidency of the OSCE," Dacic added.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has asserted a "real ceasefire" which entered into force on Tuesday is now being observed.

While on an official visit to Australia, Poroshenko asserted a truce had been registered "for the first time in seven months in Ukraine."

The Ukrainian army is planning on extending the ceasefire with the pro-Russian separatists, following a one-day truce on Tuesday during which the warring sides largely abstained from attacking each other.

BASEL - The search for a solution to the crisis in Ukraine will be a priority during the forthcoming Serbia's OSCE chairmanship, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Friday during the closing statement at the session of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel.

Serbia's OSCE presidency, "great challenge"

BASEL -- Serbian Foreign Minister and First Deputy PM Ivica Dacic has said that the Serbian chairmanship of the OSCE will be "a great challenge and responsibility."

Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels have “agreed in principle” on a ceasefire in the eastern war-torn region of Lugansk, the OSCE has said, as NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels Dec. 2 aiming to plot a new course on the country.