Poroshenko: We will make no further step on Minsk Agreements

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has actually refused to implement the Minsk Agreements, as appears from his statement at the 13th Yalta European Strategy Meeting (YES) in Kiev on September 16.

“I am often blamed. They say that the Ukrainian side continues to resist and does not move forward on the diplomatic track of the Minsk process. My answer is simple: we will not go into the trap of prioritizing the political aspects of the Minsk Agreements. I repeat once and forever: no more step further until the Russian side goes its own distance on the security track,” the Ukrainian president said.

Speaking of the security, Poroshenko again demanded control over the security zone on the border with Russia, which under the Minsk Agreements will happen only after constitutional reform in Ukraine, including after Donbass is provided a permanent special status.

As EADaily reported, on September 14, Foreign Minister of France Jean-Marc Ayrault said Ukraine is to implement its commitment and adopt a law on elections on the uncontrolled territories and on the “special status” of Donbass, as well as grant amnesty to the militia. Actually, Ukraine refuses to implement the provisions requiring amnesty for the militia and keeps Donbass in an economic blockade. No provisions on the political settlement have been implemented: neither the constitutional reform nor the law on the special status of Donbass. Ukraine impedes the exchange of POWs on the “all for all” principle as well. Instead, Kiev demands security provision and the security zone on the border with Russia, though under the Minsk Agreements this will become possible only after elections. Ambassador Martin Sajdik, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine, has recently reminded this to Ukraine.