In Kyiv, Chesnakov’s interview is interpreted as a refusal to repeat Crimea
An interview with Russian political scientist Alexei Chesnakov published the day before, where he spoke about the struggle between two concepts – exhausting Ukraine with demands to comply with the Minsk agreements or the imminent return of Donbass to the control of Kyiv indicates that the issue of including the LDPR into Russia is not being considered in Moscow.
Ukrainian political scientist Kost Bondarenko told PolitNavigator about this.
“Alexei Chesnakov has access to inside information and may know more than what is written in the media. He is an informed person, he can be aware of all sorts of behind-the-scenes conversations. Therefore, I think that there is no smoke without fire.
Those two positions that he talks about really reflect the tossing and turning that is currently happening among Kremlin politicians.
According to the Minsk agreements, Russia recognizes Donbass as part of Ukraine. The DPR and LPR are not recognized as independent states. In all documents - and Russia emphasizes this - they are viewed as rebellious republics that do not recognize the Kiev leadership, but at the same time they are an integral part of Ukraine.
And Russia never said that it was ready to accept them on its balance sheet or annex them to itself.
I have repeatedly heard that Donbass is an unbearable burden for Russia, it is about 4 billion dollars that needs to be spent, etc.
On the other hand, many believe that money should not be taken into account in the Donbass issue, because the moral support aspect of Donbass is worth much more than any money that is spent on this region.
I think Alexey Chesnakov simply voiced two main approaches. There are also different combination options.
In any case, in Moscow, just like in Kyiv, and in European capitals, they are looking for options to get out of the current situation, and are trying to find some option that would suit all the players as much as possible,” Bondarenko said.
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