I’m fascinated how gracefully the West puts the blame (and the sanctions!) on Russia when Ukraine keeps brutally violating Minsk ceasefire agreements. Russia, Germany and France are not the sides of the conflict, they all are guarantees of both sides Ukraine and Donbass (SE Ukraine) to obey Minsk agreements. If one can blame Russia in this situation, he should also blame (and put the sanctions on) Germany and France
same way. Moreover,
Ukrainian rulers are enjoying this situation:
they violate Minsk agreements and hurt Russia at the same time.
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On Nov,12 2015 German TV channel Deutsche Welle has interviewed Poroshenko, who has had a hard time answering a lot of uncomfortable questions about ceasefire, corruption, TV channel and the chocolate factory he promised to sell but still owns, “pocket armies”, Right Sector and oligarchs he promised to get rid of but they all still exist and so on.
Poroshenko was trying to throw so much BS, I couldn’t help laughing at each answer of his.
(Minute 9 of the video below): Journalist to Poroshenko: Have you ever considered the possibility that Europe needs Russia more than it needs you? It needs Russia for an agreement with Iran, it needs Russia to get an agreement on Syria, it needs Russia to combat ISIS. May be it needs Russia more than it needs Ukraine? Do you consider the possibility that they care more about offending Russia than pleasing you?
(Minute 10.47 of the video): Minsk agreements. Journalist to Poroshenko: We’ve seen shelling, OSCE has been reporting a number of cease violations:
- you’re missing the deadlines.
- why are your Grads rocket launching still in territory where they should not to be now in November as cited by OSCE 2 days ago?
Why are your Grads missiles launching in the place they shouldn’t be? OSCE is reporting it.
So, the report is wrong? You say it’s wrong.
So, they got it wrong?
But you and OSCE can’t both be right.
So, you have a different interpretation of this from OSCE?
Poroshenko interview causes stir online | World | DW.COM | 13.11.2015
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Putin: You spoke of sanctions. Everyone says that the Minsk Agreements must be implemented and then the sanctions issue may be reconsidered.
This is beginning to resemble the theatre of the absurd because everything essential that needs to be done with regard to implementing the Minsk Agreements is the responsibility of the current Kiev authorities. You cannot demand that Moscow do something that needs to be done by Kiev. For example, the main, the key issue in the settlement process is political in its nature and the constitutional reform lies in its core.
This is Point 11 of the Minsk Agreements. It expressly states that the constitutional reform must be carried out and it is not Moscow that is to make these decisions.
Interview to German newspaper Bild. Part 1
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Medvedev: First and most important, a comprehensive ceasefire is not being observed in southeastern Ukraine. Shooting is routinely reported at the line of contact, which should not be happening. And we must send a clear signal to all the parties involved, in this regard.
Second, amendments to the Ukrainian Constitution have not been approved to this day, although this should have been done by the end of 2015. And the law on a special status for Donbass has not been implemented.Instead of coordinating specific decentralisation parameters with the regions, and this is the crucial issue, Ukraine has adopted so-called “transitional provisions,” even though the above requirements were put in black and white in the Minsk Agreements.
Third, Kiev continues to insist that local elections be based on a new Ukrainian law. Furthermore, Kiev has not implemented its commitment on a broad amnesty that should embrace all those who were involved in the developments in Ukraine in 2014-2015. Without being amnestied, these people will be unable to participate in elections, which will make any election results questionable. The OSCE will not endorse this.
As I said, the Minsk Agreements must be implemented in full and this is Russia’s stance on the issue. At the same time, being reasonable people open to discussing various ideas, including a compromise, we, for instance, accepted the initiative of Mr Steinmeier on the temporary application of the law on special status as soon as the election campaign begins. After the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights recognises the election results, this law must be applied permanently. But there’s still no progress here, despite the compromise suggested.
Of course, the humanitarian situation is extremely alarming. The economy of southeastern Ukraine is deteriorating, that part of Ukraine is blockaded, and the German Chancellor’s initiative on the restoration of the banking system in the region there has been rejected. Tens of thousands of people are living on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Oddly, Russia seems to be more concerned about this than Ukraine, why is this so? We have been sending and will have to continue sending humanitarian convoys to southeastern Ukraine.
I must say that Russia has shown and will continue to show reasonable flexibility in the implementation of the Minsk Agreements where this doesn’t contradict their essence. But we can’t do what is not in our competence. That is, we cannot implement the political and legal obligations of the Kiev government. This is under the direct authority of the President, the Government and the Parliament of Ukraine. But unfortunately, it appears that they don’t have the will or a desire to do it. I think this has become obvious to everyone.
Medvedev’s Speech at the Munich Security Conference Panel Discussion
