After Russia's accusations, Ukraine wants to 'call' the US to join the Minsk Agreement

Ukraine regularly speaks out about Russia's failure to implement the Minsk Agreement. Photo: KP

"We are really interested in the dialogue being conducted with Russia, with the help of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) within the framework of the Minsk Agreements and the Normandy Format, under the leadership of the leaders of Germany and France. We also hope that the scope of negotiations will be expanded, with the participation of the United States and Great Britain," Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksei Reznikov told Ukraine 24 TV channel, adding that communication channels are being established.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine said that Ukraine also hopes to receive financial and technical support from the UK and the US.

Previously, in February, during a meeting with the US delegation at the Munich Security Conference, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky stated that Ukraine was interested in the active participation of the US in the process of resolving conflicts in Donbass.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel once proposed updating the terms of the Minsk Agreement, but Russian President Putin objected. Photo: EPA

Deputy Prime Minister Reznikov said that the Minsk Agreement on settling the conflict in Donbass must be completed, but it needs to be modernized.

"Our delegation has repeatedly called for the Minsk Agreements to be modernized, requiring them to be reviewed and amended. However, we still support what is necessary to complete the Minsk Agreements, although they are a political agreement, not some international legal agreement," Deputy Prime Minister Reznikov said.

Mr. Reznikov noted that, at the meeting of the leaders of the Normandy Format (including Germany, Russia, Ukraine, France) on December 9, 2019 in Paris, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky agreed that the Minsk Agreements "remain the only basis for ending the war and bringing peace to the Donbass region." Reznikov emphasized that the Ukrainian delegation is trying to achieve peace thanks to the Minsk agreements.

Regarding Ukraine's position, Deputy Prime Minister Reznikov said that some provisions of the Minsk agreements for Ukraine are "unacceptable". Mr. Reznikov explained that there is no special status for Donbass stipulated in the Ukrainian Constitution. "The specifics of the administration of some regions of Donetsk and Lugansk are stipulated in the laws of Ukraine, and approved by the Parliament. This is enough," Reznikov emphasized. According to him, this view of Kiev is supported by Germany and France.

Besides, Reznikov once again mentioned his recent idea that Ukraine's decision to withdraw from the Minsk process would be considered only by the leaders of the Normandy Format.

The Minsk Agreement is considered the foundation for resolving the conflict in Donbass. Photo: TASS

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Reznikov once again accused Russia of not complying with and not completing the Minsk Agreements, and of preventing Kiev from completing Minsk.

On the Russian side, following Reznikov's statements about the need to amend the terms of the Minsk Agreement, Dmitry Kozak - Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration, asked the Ukrainian leadership to confirm or deny those statements.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that Kiev's refusal to implement the Minsk agreements will slow down the process of resolving the conflict in Donbass through negotiations.