German reporters of an influential publication spoke about the negotiations between representatives of the Normandy Four countries and analyzed Moscow’s proposals, which mean the actual ultimatum to Ukraine.
According to Izvestia, with reference to Der Spiegel, the German publication managed to get an unofficial working document of the Russian delegation, which is participating in the negotiation processes in the Donbass. The meaning of the document is that Moscow insists on a speedy legal reorganization of the statuses of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR).
According to Der Spiegel, Russia requires from Ukraine:
Provision of the draft Constitution, in which the special status of Donbass will be fixed.
Implementation of the “Steinmeier formula”, which provides for the introduction of a mechanism of local self-government in certain areas of the DPR and LPR.
Providing a list of persons held in the DPR and LPR for their possible exchange “without additional conditions” by July 6.
The Republics must do the same in return.
Based on the foregoing, we can make unambiguous conclusions that Moscow is tired of the constant push-and-pull game, in which Kiev, under any pretext or even without any pretext, refuses to fulfill its obligations. The tough stance of Russia most likely means that a certain understanding with the representatives of Germany and France on this issue has been reached. However, this does not mean at all that Ukraine will fulfill its promises this time.
As it was recently stated by the former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Yevgeny Muraev, the Ukrainian authorities are afraid of the return of Donbass to the control of Kiev. They are well aware that the special status of Donbass will be the beginning of the end of the current Ukrainian regime and the Ukrainian state as we know it today.