None of the agreements to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine, signed in 2015, has yet been fully implemented, and the parties have also failed to achieve a complete ceasefire, according to a commentary circulated on Tuesday by the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department.
“Unfortunately, none of its provisions has yet been fully implemented. Despite the ceasefire that has been repeatedly declared, a ceasefire has not yet been achieved. Shelling continues on the contact line, military equipment has not been withdrawn”, – the Russian diplomacy noted.
They also noted that Donbass was not granted a constitutionally guaranteed special status, nor was an amnesty given.
“In essence, Kiev began sabotage of the “Package of Measures” immediately after its signing”, – the ministry said.
At the same time, Russia notes that some progress was nevertheless achieved thanks to the tactics of “small steps”. Among the measures implemented are two large exchanges of detainees, during which about 500 people were released.
“The additional agreements of 2015-2016 on the separation of forces in the pilot sections and the Steinmeier formula, which were a big concession to Kiev from the Donbass side, were fulfilled by the Ukrainian authorities only in 2019, and even then only after the change of head of state”, – Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The diplomatic service is confident that the process of resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine is complicated by the aggressive rhetoric of official Kiev, criticism and calls for a review of the Minsk agreements, as well as the idea of introducing into the Donbass an “international occupation administration under the guise of a UN peacekeeping mission”.
“Lawmaking in Kiev, the notorious acts on the reintegration of Donbass, education, the state language, the draft law on a new administrative and territorial structure, which they try to pass off as fulfilling decentralization obligations, are exacerbating the situation”, – the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
In this regard, the Russian side reiterated its commitment to the full and consistent implementation of all the provisions of the Minsk agreements.
“We support the efforts of our partners in the “Norman format”, as well as the OSCE as the coordinator of the work of the contact group and urge them to encourage the Ukrainian authorities to fulfill their obligations as soon as possible”, – the Russian Foreign Ministry summed up.