Kyiv either reluctant or unable to implement Minsk accords - Kremlin
MOSCOW. Dec 21 (Interfax) - The Kremlin disagrees with the wording whereby Moscow must take steps for the implementation of the Minsk Agreements, Russia is not a party to the conflict, the agreements are for Kyiv and Donbas to implement.
"The Minsk Agreements have not been implemented. Kyiv either does not want or is unable to implement the Minsk Agreements. On the other hand, this is the only basis that everyone has, both the conflicting parties, i.e. Kyiv and Donbas, and the parties that act as guarantors of these agreements, i.e. the other countries of the Normandy Four, including Russia," the Russian president's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the Mir television channel.
There is no alternative to the Minsk Agreements, he said. "In that sequence, in that volume, as is spelt out in the text. You know that attempts have been made over the year to somehow rephrase, give other interpretations, change the sequence. All this drives the situation into a bigger deadlock," he said.
The Ukrainian military provocations continue on the contact line, Peskov said. "We know that the parties accuse one another of these provocations. But this does not help form an atmosphere for finding a solution. The Russian president supports the Normandy format, he has repeatedly spoken of the need to continue working in this format," Peskov said.
At the same time, at the top level "it is still necessary to consolidate some achievements," he said. "Currently we are experiencing a very serious shortage of achievements on the Ukrainian [conflict] settlement track. And we are convinced that the only way to begin this movement towards [conflict] settlement is for Kyiv to begin implementing the Minsk Agreements," the press secretary said.
"We categorically disagree when some of our partners say that Moscow ostensibly should make some steps in terms of implementing the Minsk Agreements. Moscow is not a party to this conflict. The Minsk Agreements must be implemented by Donbas and Kyiv representatives. So, we are in the process of waiting. Russia continues being actively involved, on the expert level, in the work of the Contact Group which continues working in Minsk," Peskov said.