KIEV, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian parliament is preparing a new law on the return of the eastern region of Donbas under Kiev's sovereignty, a senior parliamentary official said here on Monday.
"The key point of this law is the harmonization of changes in the current situation with the commitments under the Minsk agreement and the reaffirmation that Ukraine is ready, willing to continue, and stands for a political and diplomatic settlement of the conflict in the Donbas," Iryna Lutsenko, Ukrainian president's representative in the parliament, told reporters.
The planned legislation enables Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to impose a martial law in the region if needed, Lutsenko said, pointing out the bill does not rule out the deployment of the international peacekeeping mission in the Donbas.
Earlier in the day, local media reported the Ukrainian government is preparing a plan to end the military operation against independence-seeking insurgents in the Donbas.
The conflict in eastern Ukraine started in April 2014 after the government forces launched offensives to regain control over the cities and towns seized by the pro-independent armed groups, which declared independence from Kiev.
The Minsk agreement, which envisages a comprehensive ceasefire and a withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line, is aimed at a peaceful ending of the confrontation, which has killed more than 10,000 people and left almost 24,000 injured.
