Kyiv.Ukraine.Ukraine Gate –October 28,2021- The Ukrainian delegation to the Donbas settlement believes that it is difficult to count on any serious progress in the talks on the political side of the Minsk agreements, as the Russian side avoids expressing its view of these documents.
Delegates stated that the Russian side did not explain how the Minsk agreements were understood.
“The Ukrainian delegation reiterated that the basis for the settlement is the implementation of the decisions reached by the leaders of the Normandy formula, as well as the entire set of the Minsk agreements,” the statement noted.
They noted that, according to a report by the head of the military command unit of the OSCE, there was an increase in the intervention of the Russian armed forces.
“Among them are restrictions on freedom of movement, attempts to suppress the control channels of SMM surveillance drones of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, etc., etc., and so on, since July 27, 2020 (when additional measures were approved to strengthen the ceasefire), 744 A case in which small and medium OSCE surveillance operations were carried out were 668 recorded in the non-government-controlled area, 71 in the Ukrainian government-controlled territory, and five in the gray area,” Ukrainian officials said.
In this context, they stressed that the systemic restrictions of the OSCE monitoring efforts by the occupation administrations not only grossly violate the main principles of a peaceful settlement, but also indicate Russia’s unwillingness to implement the security part of the Normandy Four and Minsk agreements.
Members of the Ukrainian delegation also stated that the Russian side pursues the policy of limiting opportunities for citizens living in the temporarily occupied territories to cross to government-controlled territory, despite numerous calls by the Ukrainian side to allow them to receive assistance from Ukraine, including pensions and social benefits.
The Ukrainian delegation noted that during the meeting of the humanitarian subgroup, a proposal was put forward to return to Ukraine unilaterally the three women held in the uncontrolled territory in connection with the conflict, but Russian representatives never supported the idea. Neither did they show any interest in the fate of an earlier detained Russian citizen, Andriy Kosyak, as they expressed no will to discuss the issue, the Ukrainian delegates said.
Participants in the subgroup on social and economic issues continued to discuss current issues of water supply and mobile communication. Particular focus was put on the need to remove restrictions for residents of uncontrolled areas to cross the line of contact. The participants in the meeting also agreed to consider the possibility of extending the terms of Oschadbank banking cards used to receive pensions due to the deteriorating epidemic situation of COVID-19.
“The Ukrainian delegation continues to insist on the need to release as soon as possible all those held in connection with the conflict, to open the crossing checkpoints, to strictly adhere to the ceasefire .and to implement the decisions of the Paris Summit,” Ukraine said.
The next meeting of the TCG has been scheduled for November 10.
