DPR blames Kyiv for demarcation line problems in Donbas
MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) - The first deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Andrei Purgin, thinks that the lack of political will in Kyiv is preventing the conflicting sides from finally agreeing a demarcation line in the Donbas region.
"Twenty-five per cent of the contact line still has not been agreed upon. This is thwarted by the lack of political will on the part of Kyiv, populist claims by Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko that the Ukrainian military will never give up Donetsk Airport, and Poroshenko's weak influence in controlling the troops fighting in Donbas," Purgin told Interfax.
Problems involving mutual recognition of the disputed territories remain among the unresolved issues, he said.
"The line is patchy. There are chunks grabbed by both sides. There needs to be the political will from Kyiv to resolve this problem, but one would not expect it in the run-up to the elections," Purgin said.