Zelensky's team received a sharp signal from Moscow
The meeting of the Normandy Format participants scheduled for the spring of 2020 may not take place due to the fault of the Ukrainian side. This is stated in a statement by the head of the Center for Political Conjuncture, Alexei Chesnakov, who is considered close to the assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov.
Chesnakov drew attention to the recent statement by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Prystaiko: “If elections are not held in the occupied territories in 2020, or the process of troop disengagement lasts too long, then we need to consider possible alternatives to Minsk. This could be a peacekeeping mission.”
“This is not the first such statement by Mr. Prystaiko. Options for explanation. The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry: a) did not understand the issue (it is not he, but Ermak who is responsible for the negotiations); b) understands everything, but works against Ermak and, ultimately, Zelensky; c) wants to fix its own place in the negotiation process (mission is traditionally the topic of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs); d) just stupid.
It’s worth remembering again:
1. Local elections, which Ukraine, according to Prystaiko, wants to hold in the territories of the DPR and LPR, cannot take place in 2020. There are no political or legal grounds for this. Before the elections, the following is required: separation of the parties, consolidation of a special status, adoption of a special election law, amnesty, etc. Zelensky himself refused to separate the parties along the entire line of contact as a priority task in Paris.
2. The alternative to Minsk is not a peacekeeping mission, but war and the completion of the process of secession of Donbass. Those. Kiev’s final loss of the opportunity to live with Donbass in a common political space.
3. If Ukraine and its Foreign Ministry wants to appear as a responsible party to the negotiation process, and not as a supplier of blah-blah-news, then when mentioning a peacekeeping mission, it is imperative to clarify on the basis of what mandate (in form and content) such a mission is possible. Who exactly will issue the mandate for an alternative mission to Minsk-2?
The Ukrainian side now needs not to waste precious time, not to look for alternatives to Minsk, but to implement the agreements reached on December 9.
A month has passed since the summit in Paris.
If everything continues at the same pace, then the Ukrainian side will have nothing to show for the next Normandy Four summit scheduled for spring.
What's the point of dating then?
In this case, all the blame for postponing the Normandy Four summit will lie with Kyiv. Don’t doubt it,” Chesnakov warned.
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