Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow does not see the need for additional external initiatives to resolve the situation in Donbass.
In an interview with the newspaper Vecherni List, published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, October 27, Lavrov was asked to comment on the initiative of the Croatian Prime Minister Andrei Plenkovich on the possibility of using the Croatian experience of peaceful reintegration of the Danube region as a model for the reintegration of Donbass into Ukraine.
The Croatian scenario included the demilitarization of the region, the provision of security by the UN police, the return of refugees and the formation of authorities in the territory controlled by Zagreb.
“With regard to the situation in eastern Ukraine, there is already an uncontested basis for a peaceful settlement – the Minsk“ Package of Measures ”agreed in February 2015. This document was approved by Resolution 2202 of the UN Security Council and thus became part of international law, ”Lavrov said.
The foreign minister also noted that today it is “simply necessary” to fulfill in full the agreements of the two countries, which were reached during the “many hours of diplomatic marathon” that took place more than 5 years ago.
“We do not see the need for any additional external initiatives,” Lavrov stressed.
On October 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that if he could not end the war in Donbass, then the country would need another leader.
At the same time, State Duma deputy Ruslan Balbek said that in order to resolve the conflict in Donbass, not a change of president is needed, but a change in the state ideological course. He noted that a civil war is going on between the Ukrainians of Donbass and Ukrainians from other regions. Until Kiev recognizes this, the conflict will not end.
Since 2014, Kiev has been conducting a military operation against the residents of Donbass, who refused to recognize the results of the coup. The Ukrainian side declares that it is waging a war against Russia. Moscow has repeatedly noted that it is not a party to the internal Ukrainian conflict, and urged Kiev to fulfill the Minsk agreements and conduct direct negotiations with the DPR and LPR.
The settlement of the situation is being discussed within the framework of the trilateral contact group – authorized representatives of Ukraine, the OSCE and Russia – and the “Normandy format” with the mediation of Moscow, Paris and Berlin.