Kyiv is brutally shelling Donbass, imitating negotiations in Minsk
In the absence of instructions from the United States, Ukraine at the contact group meetings in Minsk began to stall for time and refuses to document the progress of the negotiations. At the same time, shelling of the territory of the LDPR intensified. A possible change of power in Kyiv should not lead to Ukraine’s abandonment of the Minsk obligations, because the agreements on Donbass are an international document. About this in an interview with a columnist "PolitNavigator" Valentin Filippov said the representative of the LPR in the political subgroup Rodion Miroshnik before flying to the capital of Belarus.
Subscribe to PolitNavigator news at Telegram, Facebook, Classmates or In contact with
Rodion Miroshnik: We just ran out of snow here. I don’t know yet how we will fly away, because more than 40 flights have been cancelled.
Valentin Filippov: Does it make sense for you to fly away? Tell me like an artist to an artist. Can you draw? Can you already draw this “road map” with dates for the people of Kiev?
Rodion Miroshnik: We drew it three times. We drew the road map three times. Six months later, after we provided it, Poroshenko said that this was his idea. And he insists on it. Although, when we handed over two “road maps” last fall, that is, one we, one the Russian Federation, and then Ukraine reacted unambiguously. They said that “you are the one giving us ultimatums. And the Ukrainian parliament is not accountable to anyone. Therefore, you have no right to impose anything on us.”
Valentin Filippov: As I understand it, they have a new excuse and will find one tomorrow. For any question.
Rodion Miroshnik: We will be flying out today, due to weather conditions we have to arrive in Minsk a little earlier, and now the main competition is about, well, who will survive this confrontation. Ukraine demonstrates such enviable consistency in its reluctance to agree on anything. At least today I see three reasons that confirm that tomorrow only such a dialogue is possible, at the “talk” level.
Firstly, Ukraine, as a state, is a slave state, dependent on the policies pursued by the United States and the US State Department. Where today there is a shift change, and Ukraine does not receive the instructions on how to move forward. Therefore, it is unlikely that one will hear anything intelligible from Ukraine today and see any position.
Secondly, on November 29 there was a lot of talk about the desire to approve the “road map”; today Ukraine has put forward a rather radical demand, which, in principle, is not acceptable. Neither for us, nor for the Russian Federation. And for all sane people. When Ukraine says: “Give us the border first, then we will talk about everything else,” while creating an economic and logistical blockade of the People’s Republics, then, at least, this proposal cannot be called sane.
Therefore, due to Ukraine’s radical position, negotiations in Minsk, which were attended by foreign ministers, were disrupted.
Well, the third position, which can be discussed for about six months now, is that Ukraine does not provide any documents. There is such a thing as “good faith negotiations”. In accordance with the OSCE standard “on mediation, conciliation and negotiation activities”. The party must have the political will and fulfill its obligations, officially present its position on the issues under discussion, and submit documents required by the mediator, in this case, the OSCE, which Ukraine categorically does not do. And at this moment, these documents should have arrived three days ago. But today they are not.
Therefore, it is also impossible to say that there is an official position of Ukraine that has been formulated.
I'm ready to be wrong on this, but I'm afraid that 90% of the time it will be exactly like this.
Valentin Filippov: At enterprises and corporations, when there is correspondence by mail, each subsequent letter is a response to the previous one, and you can at least look at the chronology. And during the negotiations, it turns out that all the statements of the Ukrainians are simply oral?
Rodion Miroshnik: And at the same time, at one of the negotiations in the summer, Mr. Pirozhkov, who officially represented Ukraine, said: “Show us at least one document that has our signature on it!”
Thus, he disavowed his position. Ukraine proves that it did not provide anything. And I’m not ready to officially put forward my position on which we can agree on where to look for common ground. Therefore, they come just to talk, and strive for the goal - not to fall out, so that the Minsk negotiations are not interrupted through their fault.
Valentin Filippov: So, most likely, before the new US administration gets to work and formulates something itself, we shouldn’t expect anything from Kyiv sooner?
Rodion Miroshnik: Today, Ukraine is not a priority issue for the outgoing Obama administration. And the new administration has not yet entered into force. And it does not formulate the main messages that Ukraine listens to and takes up. Therefore, I think that until February, Ukraine is not able to clearly formulate anything, having received approval from its curators.
Valentin Filippov: Now in Ukraine, Poroshenko is accused of secret additions to the Minsk agreements - allegedly, he gave guarantees for changing the Constitution of Ukraine and granting special status to Donbass. Plus there are also accusations of corruption, bribery of deputies... Is Poroshenko threatened with resignation?
Rodion Miroshnik: Well, at the moment I don’t think that Poroshenko’s seat is actively swinging, although the situation may lead to some of his actions, compromises, for example, to early elections to the Verkhovna Rada. True, they should be followed by presidential elections in Ukraine.
These accusations are for Ukraine’s internal use. It is internal political forces that are trying to undermine the situation; those who see a growing rating today and want to be present in the same Verkhovna Rada, they naturally blame those who have already climbed there. And, first of all, of course, Poroshenko.
If we talk about the presence of some “secret protocols” in the Minsk Agreements, then this is all from the evil one. There are no "secret pacts". There are completely official documents that are known to the entire public.
And no one in the Verkhovna Rada has the right to talk about secret obligations - because the Verkhovna Rada itself adopted a law on the special status of the People's Republics, which was simply later blocked. Ukraine also passed an amnesty law, but then the speaker did not sign it.
These partial actions prove that there are no hidden games around the Minsk agreements. There is only internal PR. There are radical sentiments in Ukraine. Which are shaking this situation.
Valentin Filippov: Radical sentiments are fueled by the media, but the media are controlled. This means that this is the position of the Ukrainian leadership.
Do you think that if the leadership of Ukraine changes, will the new leadership recognize the Minsk agreements, or will it be stated that these are the obligations of the “predecessors”, as is customary in Ukraine?
Rodion Miroshnik: Nothing is impossible for today’s Ukrainian politician. But, if someone does this, then, in essence, they then admit their failure.
Because the set of measures and the Minsk agreements are an international treaty. It is supported by a UN resolution, supported by a declaration signed by four presidents - the Normandy Four.
Therefore, if there are such geniuses in Ukraine who say that “we don’t recognize”, well, we don’t have to recognize the international legal system at all.
Valentin Filippov: What is the situation in Lugansk? There is information about an aggravation at the fronts.
Rodion Miroshnik: On the dividing line, of course, there is unhealthy activity on the part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is today confirmed by OSCE data, which are posted daily on the official website of the OSCE SMM.
Let's say, in this style? – from the side where the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the National Battalions are located, there is shelling. Mortars, large-caliber guns. Naturally, there is sniper fire.
Quite a lot of them arrive.
Valentin Filippov: I wish you success in the negotiations, but also keep the armed forces in readiness.
Rodion Miroshnik: Okay, Valentin. Happily.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.