Alexei Fenko, associate professor at the International Security Department of the Faculty of World Politics at Lomonosov Moscow State University, has commented on the US-Russia talks
Fenko told RIA Novosti that the dialogue will not soften the situation on the Ukrainian issue and the parameters of a compromise between Moscow and Washington on this issue are not visible.
“You know, I don’t have much faith. They are right in that it is indeed possible to negotiate, but coming to some concrete result is far from the same thing as negotiating. At the moment, the parameters of a compromise between Russia and the United States are not in sight. The fact is that our contradictions around Ukraine are not momentary but, let’s say, fundamental”, – Fenko told RIA Novosti, answering the question whether negotiations could be expected to mitigate the situation in Ukraine.
For Americans, Ukraine is the guarantor of the non-reconstitution of the Soviet Union, Fenenko said.
“Whether or not this is the case in reality is another question, but this is how the Americans see it. Besides, for them Ukraine is an opportunity to create some kind of conflict with Russia and see its reaction and to drive a wedge between Russia and the European Union. That is why the Americans, of course, will cling to Ukraine and support the status quo around Ukraine”, – the agency’s interlocutor added.
According to Fenenko, in the case of the US-Russia talks on Ukraine, they should not be expected to contribute to any pressure from Washington on Kiev in terms of the Ukrainian side’s implementation of the Minsk agreements.
“We have never seen any pressure from Washington on Ukraine. Rather the opposite – the Americans will try to support Ukraine and smooth over the feeling that the US has ‘betrayed’ Ukraine”, – the expert added