Lavrov Rebuffs Volker Proposal for UN To Occupy Donbas, Urges Kiev Dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk

Dec. 11, 2019 (EIRNS)—In the last question in his Washington press conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was asked about whether the U.S. should join the “Normandy Four,” to resolve the Donbas conflict “more quickly.” Lavrov responded, as posted on the Foreign Ministry website:

“Speaking of capitals where it is necessary to search for an additional resource to help resolve Ukrainian problems and fulfil the Minsk Agreements, after Kiev, I would rather mention Donetsk and Luhansk, than Moscow and Washington. This is the gist of the problem, the essence of the Minsk Agreements—direct dialogue between Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk. Today, Ukrainian nationalists, ultra-radicals and neo-Nazis are putting on a show and demanding that Vladimir Zelensky must not surrender the homeland, capitulate, commit high treason or launch any direct dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk. It appears that [former President] Petr Poroshenko, who signed the Minsk Agreements, more or less heads this process. This is aimed at preventing any settlement and at continuing with efforts to abide by an adage that implies that most people suffer from war, while some profit from it. This is deplorable.

“We hope that Vladimir Zelensky will unfailingly honor his election campaign promises, namely, ending the war, stopping the loss of human lives and ensuring peace throughout Ukraine. This can be accomplished by fulfilling the Minsk Agreements. This matter was discussed in Paris, first and foremost. The very first clause of the document, approved yesterday ... says that there is no alternative to the Minsk Agreements. Any country, including the United States, as well as other Western and non-Western countries, could help by persuading the Ukrainian side which it influences (in case of the U.S., itis Kiev) to conscientiously fulfil the Minsk Agreements.

“Nothing good would come of it, if the United States continued to adhere to the positions advocated by Kurt Volker, the former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations. It should be recalled that he suggested deploying occupation forces in Donbas under the UN flag, abolishing all agencies that now ensure the everyday activities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics, establishing an international administration there, deploying an international police force in the region and thereby resolving the crisis and holding elections after that. Understandably, the occupation administration would see elections as a ‘cosmetic’ affair after the deployment of occupation forces. We hope that our work to explain the situation around the Minsk Agreements will not be in vain. Our foreign colleagues will help unfailingly honor UN Security Council Resolution 2202 that unanimously approved the Minsk Agreements.”