It is possible to resolve the crisis that has worsened in Ukraine by promptly recognizing the autonomy of the Donbass republics, Herve Juvin, a French member of the European Parliament, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defense, said in an interview with TASS.
“Obviously, a peaceful settlement is possible through a quick agreement by Kiev to recognize the autonomy of the eastern regions,” the politician said.
Juvin expressed regret that Russia’s decision to recognize the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics called “the process under the Minsk agreements into question”, but stressed that “for almost eight years of the conflict, the Ukrainian authorities have not fulfilled their obligations.”
“They imposed restrictions on the use of the Russian language, including in the education system and in the media. A return to the protocol of the Minsk agreements will require major changes on the part of the Ukrainian authorities,” he added.
The Minsk agreements were signed in February 2015 and were supposed to help resolve the crisis in the Donbass. However, official Kiev continued to evade the implementation of the points of the Minsk agreements, including those reached at the meeting of the leaders of the Normandy Four in Paris.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The Russian leader signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the leaders of the DPR and LPR Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik.
According to Putin, Russia has been interested in the implementation of the Minsk agreements all this time, since this document was the result of a compromise. However, after the recognition of the independence of the DPR and LPR, these agreements “do not exist.”