Zelensky’s proposal to conduct “joint patrols” aims to drag the Minsk process into the swamp of a useless talk shop. Instead, Ukraine should stop cutting corners and begin to implement step by step all the paragraphs of the Package of Measures, Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, stated today, on February 17.
Shortly before, at a press conference in Munich, the President of Ukraine proposed the idea of patrolling the border with Russia in Donbass jointly with representatives of the OSCE, the DPR and the LPR for the period of preparation for local elections. In his speech, Zelensky mentioned that he has the opportunity to force through this possibility so that Ukrainians are present at the indicated borders.
“These statements by Zelensky reveal the well-known methods of current Ukrainian politicians: to get themselves bogged down in a useless talk shop and drag all the others into this swamp.
Consider the proposal to conduct “joint patrols.” Kiev officials have not yet taken a single step to coordinate with the DPR and the LPR the legal aspects of the Donbass special status. And, according to the Package of Measures, extraordinary local elections are a political process that is part of a complete and comprehensive political settlement.
The force position put forward by Zelensky is not new to us. For six years now, the Donetsk People’s Republic has been under constant pressure from Ukraine — shelling and blockades — and has already proved that Ukraine can try to “force” Donbass people, but it won’t work out!
The attacks on our localities won’t stop, we again and again record the destruction of socially significant objects. How does Zelensky intend to negotiate directly with the population of the Republics after such actions? He, apparently, is not aware of how poorly Donbass residents think of him. And that is why authority delegation exists so that representatives of the people achieve what people want. It is for this purpose that the Minsk venue was established.
Zelensky’s statement that Ukraine has “one of the strongest armies in Europe” substitutes the wish for the reality. If the Kiev authorities have forgotten about the defeating pockets in Donbass when their forces were encircled by the Republics’ militia, the others remember what pressured Poroshenko into signing the Minsk Agreements — the ignominious defeat of the AFU near Debaltsevo.
Ukraine should stop cutting corners and begin to fulfill its obligations regarding a peaceful settlement of the conflict. That is, for its part, to implement step by step all the paragraphs of the Minsk Agreements,” Denis Pushilin said.