A number of Ukrainian media outlets published a statement that the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Contact Group made about the contradiction of the Russian Donbass Doctrine, which was adopted at the integration forum held in Donetsk, to the Minsk Agreements. DPR Plenipotentiary Representative and Minister of Foreign Affairs Natalya Nikonorova commented on this statement.
“This is fundamentally wrong for several reasons at once: first, the doctrine is not a regulatory legal act officially adopted at the level of legislative bodies, but the fruit of work of the scientific, cultural and educational community of the Republic, which reflects the moods and aspirations of the residents of Donbass. And these are the very same aspirations that were expressed back in 2014 and have not changed since then. If the Ukrainian authorities had actually heard the opinion of the residents of the Republic, which has been expressed for more than six years, including at the Minsk venue, they would not have been so surprised by the adoption of the doctrine and the provisions enshrined in it.
Second, it would also be a good idea if representatives of Kiev checked the wording of the Complex of Measures before making hard-hitting statements in the media. The note to Clause 11 of this document clearly states the possibility of developing cross-border cooperation with the Russian Federation, so the Republic acts in the way defined by it and not in violation of the Minsk Agreements.
And thirdly, instead of finally taking constructive action to enable the negotiations, which are stagnating exclusively through the fault of Kiev, Ukraine prefers to shift responsibility onto representatives of the Republic and spread unsubstantiated accusations against them. Nevertheless, the hypocrisy and absurdity of these accusations is clear to anyone who follows the Minsk process even slightly.
Thus, it is high time that the Ukrainian authorities realized a simple and obvious thing: while they are trying to decide whether to stay within the framework of the Minsk Agreements or withdraw from them, the Republic is not going to humbly wait for their decision and waste time. Our position, unlike Ukraine’s, is clear, understandable and transparent: we remain committed to the Minsk Agreements and keep following the path chosen by the Donbass people,” Nikonorova stressed.
