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| Participants of the Minsk meeting (Image: Kyiv Post) |
Amid the ongoing battles in the Eastern Ukrainian Donbas region and
continuous violations of Ukrainian border by the Russian military and military
technique the first round of talks in Minsk, Belarus, was held on 28 August.
The meeting was held in the format “Ukraine – Russia – EU – Eurasian Union” and
is supposed to help to find the ways and possibilities to resolve the deepening
crisis in Eastern Ukraine.
The Minsk meeting was attended by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko,
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Presidents of the countries-members of the
Custom Union, Belarusian Aleksandr Lukashenko and Kazakhstan’s Nursultan
Nazarbayev and were observed also by three EU commissioners, including
Catherine Ashton.
The talks were “difficult”, according to the statement of the Belarusian
President Aleksandr Lukashenko, but that was a good beginning and the chance to
find a peaceful solution of the crisis in Ukraine. It’s worth mentioning also
that Belarus, which is traditionally pro-Russian, distanced itself in the
Ukrainian issue and voiced its support of Ukrainian territorial integrity, sovereignty
and didn’t support the idea of federalization.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called on the world leaders to
support Ukraine and Donbas region as this is not only about the future of
Ukraine and Donbas but also about the future of the European countries and the
entire world. Mr. Poroshenko also stated that Ukraine is a sovereign and
independent state which is free to chose its path and direction of development
and called on the Western countries, on Kazakhstan and Belarus to support Ukraine
and to assist it in establishing the effective system of control on the borders
with Russia in order to restore order and security in the region and to stop
the continuous weapons and mercenaries’ supplies and to end the bloodshed in
Eastern regions of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President called on Russian leader Mr. Putin as well to
support the peaceful plan and to cooperate and stated that “all the interested
sides are willing to resolve the current crisis and to save face”. “I am ready
to discuss the strategies of resolving this crisis,” added Ukrainian President.
He also informed the participants of the meeting and the representatives of EU
about the deterioration of the situation in Eastern Ukraine.
He also demanded to stop sending mercenaries, weapons and military
technique to Ukraine, to withdraw the current troops of the fighters and to
cooperate in restoring peace. Ukraine demands also release of all the
prisoners, including a female pilot Nadia Savchenko, who is being held captive
in Russian prison.
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| Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Minsk (Image: Kyiv Post) |
Petro Poroshenko presented also his peace plan during his speech on the
Minsk meeting and called the sides to support this plan. “I am confident that
this plan is at the current stage the only one possible way and instrument to
stop the bloodshed and to ensure the post-conflict rebuilding of Donbas region.
Considering this fact I am calling on all the participants of today’s meeting
to accept and to support this plan,” stated Mr. Poroshenko on Tuesday in Misnk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in his turn mentioned the Eastern
Ukrainian war only shortly and at the end of his long speech declared in Minsk.
Instead of it Russian President concentrated on economical issues and on the
threats that Russian economy could possibly have if Ukraine will ratify
Association Agreement with EU and will continue to deepen its relations and cooperation
with the European states. Mr. Putin stated that Russia is interested in
cooperation with Ukraine, but if Ukraine will continue its European path,
Russia and the countries of Custom Union will be forced to implement special
economic measures against Ukraine, such as cancelling the trade preferences in
the Custom Union etc. Mr. Putin declared also that Ukrainian cooperation with
EU and Association will result in serious economic losses not only for Russia,
but for Belarus and Kazakhstan as well. Though neither Mr. Lukashenko nor Mr.
Nazarbayev supported this stance. Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev
even stated that Kazakhstan won’t suffer from Ukrainian Association with EU and
called on the peaceful talks in order to stop the bloodshed in Eastern Ukraine
and to restore peace.
President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, who hosted the talks, stated
also that there is a project of a joint document to be released after the talks
in Minsk.
Meanwhile the talks are ongoing and their next
round is expected to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. Ukrainian President
Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a private meeting
late on Tuesday, but it brought no significant results, and the negotiations
are ongoing.
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