Russia's proposal to introduce peacekeepers to Donbas will further divide Ukraine, but not resolve the conflict. This was stated by the special representative of the US State Department in the negotiations on Ukraine Kurt Volker, during the Yalta European Strategy forum, which was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine TV channel.
"It was very interesting last week to see how Russia offers a peacekeeping mission, a UN mission, something that Russia had previously said it would not support, something that was proposed after consultations in the Normandy format with the US and others. I think, the details of what was proposed, in fact, will even more divide Ukraine, and not solve the problem, "he said.
At the same time, Volker added that the very fact of the proposal for the introduction of peacekeepers is interesting and it needs to be studied. "If we can come to the point of discussing an international security force that will replace Russian forces and monitor heavy weapons and control the border, this will be a significant step forward, the basis for implementing the Minsk agreements and restoring territorial integrity," he said.
Earlier German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that UN peacekeepers should have access to the entire territory of Donbas. The mission deployment is an interesting idea, but it does not mean lifting sanctions from Russia.
"I find President Putin's proposal to send the UN mission to protect the OSCE observers interesting," she said, adding that she discussed this issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin a few days ago.
As is known, the official Kremlin adhered to the position that UN peacekeepers should be attracted only to the collision line in Donbas and coordinate actions with the fighters of the ORDLO. In Kyiv, this option was called schizophrenic.
Earlier we reported that President of Russia Vladimir Putin urged President of France Emmanuel Macron to support the offer of Russia to deploy the UN peacekeepers for assistance in the security of the OSCE SMM during the phone call.
Initially Putin claimed that UN peacekeepers should stay at the demarcation line. Ukraine representative in Minsk and First Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko claimed that it is impossible to talk about the peacekeepers only among the demarcation line.
Later the Russian President expressed the readiness to make the amendments to the offered resolution project of the UN Security Council and mission's function at the conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He said that it is possible to implement the provision of the security for the OSCE SMM at all places where the SMM holds the inspection trips.
