The conflict in southeastern Ukraine can escalate
at any time, representative of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic
(DPR) at the Minsk peace talks Denis Pushilin said Sunday, pointing to a threat
of a major war between Kiev forces and independence supporters amid a ceasefire
enforced in the region.
DONETSK (Sputnik) – Kiev forces launched a military
operation against independence supporters in the Donetsk and Lugansk
regions in April 2014. In February the two sides signed a ceasefire deal,
but sporadic fighting has continued in Donbass despite the agreement.
"We are actually on the brink of a major
war right now. Our conflict is not an internal Ukrainian one, it is fully
in line with what is happening in Syria, Yemen, the uprising
in Macedonia,… and could lead to very tragic consequences and, as a
result, things can escalate in a matter of hours."
Pushilin told RIA Novosti that the stance of the
international community on the Donbass conflict could determine whether
fighting in Ukraine’s southeast would finally stop.
"Some major developing countries are giving a
certain signal even through their neutrality and non-interference [in the
conflict], that they are not supporting a military solution, they are
for the continuation of the peace process. A singe decision that
seemingly has no influence on anything could become critical and tip the
scales one way or another."
The West and Kiev have been accusing Russia of fueling
the conflict in Ukraine’s southeast, although the claims have not been
supported with any factual evidence. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that
it is not involved in the conflict and has participated in various
formats of Ukraine peace talks.
Kiev has nonetheless continued to ask Western
governments, particularly the United States for military assistance
amid sporadic fighting in Ukraine’s southeast. US President Barack
Obama has not approved lethal aid to Kiev, although Congress has been
pressing Washington to allow lethal weaponry supplies to Ukraine’s
government.
Kiev’s Operation in Donbass Aims
to Conceal Political Incompetence
"The incompetent political and economic structure
of the country is evident. Here war is a kind of cover for a
lack of professionalism, a lack of autonomy in decision
making."
Pushilin added that the conflict in Donbass could
go on for dozens of years.
"It is not that we will be under fire
for 10 years. What’s meant here is whether a full solution
on political issues will be found in the conflict. This can take a
very long time. This process is unpredictable," Pushilin explained.
According to Pushilin, the DPR is doing everything
to bring an end to shelling in southeastern Ukraine.
Kiev Slows Down Minsk Deal Implementation
by Protracting Prisoner Exchange
"What is most important for us now is the
issue of the ‘all-for-all’ [prisoner] exchange and the presence
of some representatives from the other side who do not consider it
necessary to intensify the prisoner exchange process in the agreed
‘all-for-all’ format, they are trying to find some other ways and are
slowing down [the process] with their actions," Denis Pushilin told
RIA Novosti.
The DPR negotiator stressed that the prisoner swaps was
the main issue of discussion among members of the humanitarian
subgroup of the Contact Group on Ukraine, which includes
representatives from Kiev, the self-proclaimed people’s republics
of Donetsk and Lugansk, Moscow and the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
A series of subgroup meetings have been held
since early 2015 to make sure that both Kiev and DPR and LPR are
moving forward in implementing the Minsk peace agreement, reached
in February.
Lifting of Donbass Economic Blockade
to Be Discussed in Minsk
The lifting of the economic blockade imposed
on Donbass by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko amid fighting
between Kiev forces and local independence supporters will top the agenda
at the upcoming talks in Minsk, the DPR envoy said.
"The lifting of the economic blockade,"
Pushilin said when asked about the key issues to be discussed
during the talks.
An economic subgroup of the Contact Group
on Ukraine is scheduled to meet in the Belarusian capital
on June 23.
Source:
Sputnik News 14-06-2015
