On July 11, 2018 a sitting of the political group on the resolving of the conflict in Donbass took place in Minsk. The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPR Natalia Nikonorova took part in negotiations.

"At today's sitting, Ukraine’s representatives tried to create an atmosphere of mutual reproaches, accusations and emotions with the aim to avoid a constructive work. There is no logic in the arguments of Ukraine’s party - the impossibility to discuss the Steinmeier’s formula in Minsk is declared, since it is part of the Roadmap discussed in Normandy format. But the representatives of Kiev themselves offer such questions, which are also included into Roadmap, or are generally outside the negotiation process in Minsk.

In addition, it should be noted that the validity of the formally prolonged for one year law “On the special order of local self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Lugansk regions” expires in 3 months. We should state about the absence of any intention of Kiev to implement political items, primarily on the implementation of the law on the special status of Donbass and amnesty. In this situation, the first step towards preventing a future crisis that threatens with serious negative consequences is the harmonization of the formula for the entry into force of this law in Minsk, as well as an amnesty in accordance with it. The implementation of this stage will become such a declaration of the Ukrainian authorities’ readiness to fulfill their obligations and unlock the entire further negotiation process" – Natalia Nikonorova about the sitting of the group on political issues.