The Ukrainian law aimed at restoring national sovereignty over the temporary occupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions does not preclude their return to Ukrainian control through the use of force, National Security and Defense Council's Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said.

"We are not saying that today we can liberate the occupied territory solely through the use of force. But this law does not rule such a path out and creates conditions for it," Turchynov said in an interview with the television station Hromadske.

The law does not dismiss the peaceful option, either, he said. "So far, no one has canceled the Minsk Agreements. True, Russia is sabotaging them, trying to destroy them, but today the diplomatic path, according to the president's position, remains one of the priority ones. That Russia is doing everything to ruin that path is another matter," Turchynov said.

Asked how much time the Ukrainian army would need to retake control of the Donbas territories, as long as Russia does not interfere, he said, "It would take a few weeks."