Kuchma in Chernigov said that the Steinmeier formula will not lead to peace
The Schneinmaier formula will not lead to peace in Donbass, since it is not a formula for peace.
Ex-President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma said this in Chernigov, after the traditional presentation of scholarships from the Charitable Foundation “Ukraine” to the best students of the Chernigov National Technological University, the press service of the ex-president reports.
“The Steinmeier formula will not lead to peace in Donbass, because it is not a formula for peace. This is a political formula for a while or something like this - “what if we put pressure on the Ukrainians, they will agree to it, and we will turn around”... This is generally “handing us over with the giblets,” so to speak,” Kuchma noted.
According to Kuchma, holding elections in Donbass without prior withdrawal of troops, disarmament, and restoration of the Ukrainian border is “complete absurdity.” Since, under the current conditions, neither observers nor journalists will go there to monitor the election process.
There can be no talk of a special status for Donbass, the ex-president believes, because this is unacceptable for the country.
Another nuance that must be taken into account before agreeing to any conditions, Kuchma noted, is the state of the uncontrolled territories.
“This region is practically destroyed. According to the most conservative estimates, 100 billion euros are needed to restore it,” he said.
Therefore, the politician added, restoring peace in Donbass is a long process, and largely depends on the position of the leaders of European countries, and especially on the position of US President Donald Trump.
“Because today only this country more or less influences Russia,” Kuchma noted.
Let us recall that on October 1, President Vladimir Zelensky said that Ukraine had agreed on the text of the “Steinmeier formula.” Leonid Kuchma signed a letter from Ukraine agreeing to this formula. According to him, the formula provides for the adoption in Ukraine of a temporary law on the special status of Donbass, which will become permanent provided that the OSCE recognizes local elections in these territories as democratic. However, at the stage of disengagement of forces in Donbass, the implementation of the Steinmeier formula stalled and the Ukrainian leadership actually put it on pause, faced with a negative reaction from a militaristic-minded aggressive minority within the country. On the sidelines of Kyiv, there is more and more talk about a transition to some kind of “Plan B”, which provides for Kiev to freeze the conflict in Donbass according to the Cyprus scenario.
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