"Question of desire": the head of the Zelensky party declared impossibility to return Donbass by means of laws

The head of the Ukrainian party "Servant of the People" Dmitry Razumkov called the achievement of peace in the Donbass one of the key problems of the country. As the politician said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant, the settlement of the situation in the east of Ukraine "is not solved by the laws." However, speaking of the possible adoption of the special status of Donbass, Razumkov admitted that this issue would be discussed in parliament.

“This is the legislative part. This moment of discussion within the walls of the Verkhovna Rada will obviously also be, but in this issue, in war, it is not a question of laws. This is a matter of desire. Wishes to end this war, ”he explained.

According to Razumkov, the Ukrainian side has such a desire, which allegedly cannot be said about other participants in the settlement process. The head of the “Servant of the People” believes that this is a “whole complex of tasks”, the implementation of which will allow “to return the temporarily occupied territories more quickly”.

“Unfortunately, not all participants in this process see this desire. There are more questions of diplomacy, sanctions pressure, domestic policy issues related to the fight against corruption, with information policy, with the economy, infrastructure, social policy, ”said the politician.

We will remind, earlier the party "Servant of the People" won a majority of seats in the Ukrainian parliament on the basis of early elections. Razumkov himself is a contender for the post of Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada.

• Advisor to the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky, head of the Servant of the People Party Dmitry Razumkov
• Reuters
• © Valentyn Ogirenko

Commenting on the latest statements of Razumkov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots Viktor Vodolatsky expressed the opinion that the leader of the “Servants of the People” should begin the conversation with the fact that President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky declared the cessation of hostilities in the Donbass, but the shelling the civilian population of the DPR and the LPR do not stop.

“His words have no actual solution, because shelling continues every day,” the parliamentarian said in an interview with RT. “To make a decision on the large-scale systematic work on the implementation of the peace agreements adopted in Minsk, it is necessary to fulfill our commitments and give strict instructions to the Armed Forces of Ukraine”

At the same time, Vololatsky noted that the first meeting of the Rada will take place only in September, and suggested that up to this point no real steps towards a peaceful settlement will be taken.

“Therefore, August is the continuation of shelling and no concrete steps,” the parliamentarian summed up.

In turn, the Ukrainian political scientist and economist Oleksandr Dudchak believes that it is not a question of that the problem of Donbass can be resolved only by legislative means, but without adopting the relevant laws it is also impossible to solve it.

“If he has political will, then why doesn't he demonstrate it?” In this regard, it is necessary to sit down at the negotiating table, first of all, with representatives of the Donbass itself, ”said the interlocutor of RT.

At the same time, he expressed the hope that Kiev’s policy regarding the Donbass will become softer, since there are forces that want at least economic cooperation with the republics.

According to the expert, there are simple steps to start with and which will show whether Zelensky wants peace, effective cooperation and discussion of existing problems.

“If citizens of Ukraine live, as they believe, then the citizens of Ukraine living in the Donbas have to meet them,” the expert concluded.

The ability to stop the war

Earlier, Razumkov repeatedly mentioned the settlement of the conflict in the Donbas in his statements. At the end of July, he expressed the opinion that there could be no amnesty for people who committed “war crimes” in the Donbas.

“If we are talking about an amnesty for militants, people who are involved in war crimes, I think that there can be no other option, no amnesty in this regard applies either to Ukraine or abroad,” Interfax-Ukraine policy quotes.

Shortly before, Razumkov spoke about the position of President Vladimir Zelensky over the Donbas. According to the head of the Servant of the People, the Ukrainian leader is set to end the conflict in the south-east of the country and takes concrete steps for this.

“To stop the war is the main task of any political force that is going to the polls today (to the Verkhovna Rada - RT ). I am sure that both our strategy and the positions that the President is voicing today will give us the opportunity to stop the war, and then stop it, ”Razumkov said.

According to the politician, the position of the Ukrainian president regarding the situation in Donbass "gives confidence in resolving the conflict." The party chairman, in particular, recalled the strengthening of the Ukrainian group in the Minsk process, the meeting of the "Norman Four" at the level of advisers in Paris, as well as the telephone conversation between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky himself also repeatedly spoke in favor of resolving the conflict in the south-east of Ukraine, but at the same time the Ukrainian leader spoke of Kiev’s unwillingness to conduct a direct dialogue with the self-proclaimed republics of Donbass.

“We are not ready for a direct dialogue with the separatists. We are ready to act in the Minsk format, continue relations, cease fire, ”said Zelensky after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that a direct dialogue is needed to resolve the conflict and urged Kiev to show political will to solve this problem. He told about it during a straight line at the end of June.

“In modern history there is no example when conflicts of this kind would be resolved without direct dialogue between the conflicting parties. It is simply impossible, ”Putin said.

He added that Zelensky should solve this problem, since the Ukrainian leader himself spoke about the settlement in the Donbas before the presidential elections.

“Actually, I made it the core of my election campaign,” Putin noted.

However, despite the truce, which began to operate from July 21, the Ukrainian military continued to fire at the DPR and LPR, violating the agreement reached by the contact group.