Germany: Donbass is not ready for local elections - FM Steinmeier

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the Ukrainian Donbass region is not yet ready for local elections, as he gave a press conference with his Czech counterpart Lubomir Zaoralek in Berlin, Friday. Steinmeier added that the elections, that were announced to take place later this year, cannot replace the ones envisaged in the Minsk agreements. On Thursday, the head of the self proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR/DNR) Alexander Zakharchenko announced that local elections will be held in Donetsk on October 18 and similar elections are expected to take place in the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR/LNR) as well. According to Steinmeier, there is "a whole string of procedures which are not completed yet" to organise elections that will be recognised by the five parties involved in the the Minsk agreements. During the press conference, Steinmeier also announced that he expects explanations from the US government after allegations surfaced that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had spied on senior German officials, including Chancellor Angela Merkel. "I am hoping for help from the US side in the investigation. It will become clear in the coming days whether this will take place", Steinmeier concluded.