The first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) for Donbass, Vitold Fokin, was entered into the Myrotvorets database.

The administration of this resource accused the state leader of "deliberate participation in anti-Ukrainian propaganda activities aimed at destabilizing public and political life in Ukraine."

Since 2014, the "Peacemaker" publishes personal data of persons who allegedly threaten the national security of Ukraine.

One of the initiators of the creation of the site is the former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Anton Gerashchenko, who now holds the post of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

Information about Fokine appeared on "Peacemaker" after an interview with "Strana.ua".

In a conversation with journalists, the deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG criticized the political forces that hinder the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

The politician expressed his readiness to go to Donbass for direct negotiations.

Fokin also advocated the announcement of a general amnesty and the granting of a special status to the entire Donbass, and not just the uncontrolled regions.

At the same time, the state official does not consider it necessary to make appropriate amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, although this condition is spelled out in Minsk-2.

“Another important question about amnesty.

And on that side, and on the other side, many crimes were committed, which ultimately must be investigated, and let the perpetrators be punished.

But today, in order to end the war and save the lives of fighters and commanders, my position is to declare a general amnesty, hold elections, resolve the issue of the special status of certain regions, and best of all, Donbass, ”Fokin said.

  • Deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to TCG Vitold Fokin

  • © Wikimedia commons / Anatoliy Pashko

"Capitulation course"

The ideas voiced by Fokin caused a negative reaction in the political circles of Ukraine.

Thus, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov called the interview of the deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation in the TCG "provocative".

According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, the statements of the state official are contrary to the national interests of the country.

“Not one of our soldiers should die because of narrow-minded political speculation.

Therefore, the statement of the representative of Ukraine in the TCG V. Fokin about a general amnesty and a special status for the entire territory of Donbass is provocative and does not meet national interests, "the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs quotes Fokin on the department's Facebook page.

In Petro Poroshenko's party "European Solidarity", Fokin's interview was regarded as "a plan to dismantle Ukrainian statehood."

From the point of view of the leadership of the political force, the representative of Kiev in the TCG "offers the Russians even more than they ask."

"European Solidarity" requires the immediate removal of Fokin from the Ukrainian representation in the TCG, otherwise we will assume that a special status for the entire Donbass is Zelensky's proposal.

This will force us to adjust the attitude of the party towards the president himself and take a tougher position, realizing that it is he who is the patron of the capitulation course, ”says Poroshenko's Facebook page.

Former Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Alexander Turchinov spoke more harshly about Fokine's ideas.

In his opinion, the interview with the deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation in the TCG is a manifestation of "senile marasmus" and demonstrates the transition of the confidant of the country's President Volodymyr Zelensky to the "side of the aggressor country."

“I want to ask the representatives of Zelensky in the TCG, what crimes were committed by the Ukrainian military in Donbass, defending and freeing the mother's land at the cost of their own lives?

Fokins, Kravchuks and those behind them hope that Ukraine will give Putin the entire Donbass, which the Russian troops were unable to capture by force? "

- wrote Turchinov on his Facebook page.

  • Former Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov

  • Reuters

  • © Valentyn Ogirenko

Also, the former NSDC secretary called for criminal proceedings against the leadership of the Ukrainian representative office in the TCG, including the country's first president, Leonid Kravchuk.

In addition to the opposition, Fokin's ideas were criticized by his colleague in the TKG, a representative of "occupied Donetsk" Sergei Garmash.

He believes that the implementation of the proposals voiced in the interview means "peace on Russia's terms" and will lead to a change in Kiev's geopolitical orientation.

Commenting on the "Fifth Channel" stream of negativity, Fokin said that he was "pleased" with the reaction of "supporters of the war."

According to him, the stormy criticism indicates that the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, chaired by Kravchuk, is moving in the right direction.

In an interview with RT, Ruslan Bortnik, director of the Ukrainian Institute of Politics, noted that most of the ideas voiced by Fokin correspond to the provisions of Minsk-2, which imply the peaceful reintegration of uncontrolled regions into Ukraine.

“The forces that expressed their indignation at Fokin’s statements have one thing in common: they don’t want to see the current Donbass as part of Ukraine, because they understand that the return of their disloyal electorate will radically redraw the country's political map and destroy the governance model that was built in the country after 2014,” explained Bortnik.

In a commentary on RT, political scientist Yuri Bondarenko emphasized that any statement that leads to a detente in Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk agreements is met with fierce resistance from radicals and government officials, mainly in the person of Arsen Avakov.

“These people are categorically opposed to compromise solutions and a critical view of politics in recent years.

They are tuned exclusively to a forceful solution to the conflict, "Bondarenko said.

"Power is losing ratings"

Meanwhile, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak stressed that some of the proposals made by Fokin do not reflect the official point of view of Kiev.

He called for separating the personal views of the statesman from the general position of the delegation in the TCG.

“Witold Fokin has only recently joined the negotiation process and is dealing with the topic.

And just some odious and ambiguous formulations, to which the previous government for some reason agreed, today the Ukrainian side is trying to soften or apply exclusively within the framework of the national interests of Ukraine, ”Yermak said.  

  • Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak

  • Reuters

  • © Ukrainian Presidential Press Service / Handout

He explained that the Minsk agreements and the proposals of the Ukrainian delegation to finalize the draft law on the peculiarities of local self-government in the uncontrolled territories do not provide for a special status for the entire Donbass.

Fokine's ideas did not find support in the pro-presidential Servant of the People party either.

In the near future he may be summoned to the Verkhovna Rada to clarify his position.

The chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, Zelensky's ally Dmitry Razumkov has already declared the impossibility of a general amnesty.

Experts interviewed by RT do not exclude that Fokin may repeat the fate of ex-adviser to the NSDC Secretary Sergei Sivokha, who, with Zelensky's formal patronage, promoted the National Platform for Reconciliation and Unity.

This project involved the creation of a platform for dialogue between Kiev and the uncontrolled regions of Donbass.

However, at the presentation of the National Platform in mid-March 2020, Sivokha was attacked by nationalists who were outraged that he called the war in the southeast of the country an internal conflict.

Zelensky did not comment on the incident, and two weeks later the victim lost his position as an adviser.

NSDC Secretary of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov explained that Sivokho's views did not reflect the position of the Security Council.

Ruslan Bortnik believes that Zelensky and his entourage do not want to come into conflict with radicals.

Also, according to the expert, the president's office is trying to use the activities of Fokin and Kravchuk in order to "imitate the negotiation process."

“Public opinion in Ukraine demands peace in Donbass.

Yes, citizens see it in different ways, but there is undoubtedly a demand for dialogue and implementation of the Minsk agreements.

The authorities do nothing in this area and are losing ratings.

Therefore, she needs to imitate the negotiation process, especially on the eve of local elections, ”says Bortnik.

Yuri Bondarenko adheres to a similar view of the situation.

True, the expert doubts that the representatives of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG can really express their personal point of view on the conflict in Donbass.

“Zelensky is always on the side of the strong.

Now the ball is ruled by nationalists, so he in fact acts as a conductor of their policy.

He cannot go against the radicals.

Therefore, Zelensky is unlikely to stand up for Fokine.

The President of Ukraine will continue to act in line with the agenda imposed by the nationalists, ”Bondarenko summed up.