The President of Ukraine noted that he still intends to fulfill his pre-election promise to end the conflict in Donbass and return this region to Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, believes that there may be internal disturbances in the territories of Donbass which are not under Kiev’s control because, in his opinion, people there live worse than in Ukraine. He expressed this opinion in an interview with the Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung, which was published on Monday.
“Many of these people have coronavirus, we are dealing with a humanitarian disaster there”, – says the President of Ukraine. – “And people who live in the occupied part of Donbass can see how Ukrainians live on the other side of the front, namely, that they live better. Miners in the occupied Donbass are doing badly: they do not receive normal wages and have to pay for water and electricity at a high price. If people’s patience there runs out at some point, there could be unrest”, – the head of state said.
At the same time, Zelenskiy says that Ukraine is not interested in disturbances in the DNR and LPR.
“No, the price is too high. An internal conflict will arise in the occupied territory of Donbass. And I know that there are many people there who are Ukrainians in their hearts. I do not want them to die”, – he said.
The President added that he still intends to fulfill his pre-election promise to end the conflict in Donbass and return this region to Ukraine.
“Ending the war and returning Ukrainian territories is my top priority. These are not romantic promises. Of course, it is not easy. But we have already achieved a lot”, – he stressed.
In confirmation of his point of view, he cited the exchanges of detainees between Ukraine and the DPR and the LPR, as well as the mutual return by Ukraine and Russia of groups of citizens who had previously been either arrested or convicted in the territory of both countries. He also recalled the additional measures to control the ceasefire that had entered into force in Donbass on 27 July. Zelenski, in an interview with the Austrian newspaper, also spoke out against the scenario of freezing the conflict in Donbass, which would create a situation in this region similar to that in Transnistria or Abkhazia.