Threat of Donbas turning into frozen conflict persists, stems from Kyiv policy - Putin
MOSCOW. Nov 13 (Interfax) - The threat of Donbas turning into a frozen conflict persists, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"The threat of Donbas turning into another frozen conflict is still there. It stems from Kyiv's policy, which continues to strengthen the blockade of the Southeast and has stopped the supply of food and money there. Kyiv has eliminated the banking system there and is blocking exports," the Russian president said in an interview with the information agencies Interfax and Anadolu before the G20 summit in Antalya.
Putin said that Russia "continues to support Donbas, which is in a difficult humanitarian situation." "First of all, we think about people that were abandoned by Kyiv authorities and put to the brink of survival. It is our duty to provide them with the necessary assistance," he said.
"I would like to recall that, during the talks as far back as in September 2014, the parties to the conflict agreed not only on a ceasefire, but also on the steps to restore livelihoods in the region. It was fixed that a program for economic revival of Donbas should be adopted. This issue was discussed last February in Minsk, where our partners from the Normandy Four group - Germany and France - agreed to provide technical assistance in the recovery of the banking and financial infrastructure in the conflict-affected areas," Putin said.
"It is fair to say that there is certain progress. The parties restored railway communication, making it possible now to deliver Donbas coal to other regions of Ukraine. Works are underway to restore energy supply. Ways to restore water supply are also being analyzed," he said.