Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Vitold Fokin from the post of first deputy head of the Kiev delegation in the contact group on Donbass.

This was reported on the website of the President of Ukraine.

It is clarified that Fokin was removed from the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) by decree of the head of state.

The reasons for this decision are also indicated: the press release notes that it is essential for the head of state that the persons representing the state "should always be guided in their activities and statements by the national interests of Ukraine and act fairly."

  • Vitold Fokin

  • © Wikimedia Commons

According to Zelensky, Vitold Fokin "departed primarily from a fair assessment of the temporary occupation of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, and certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of our state."

The message also emphasizes that the opportunity to represent the state cannot be regarded as "a chance for personal views or ambitions", but is "an unconditional obligation" to implement the position of the country and the people.

"The main goal of our delegation, like the entire state, is the return exclusively on Ukrainian terms of all temporarily occupied territories, our people, as well as the establishment of a lasting peace," the message says.

In this case, the “conditions” mean the withdrawal from Ukraine of all “illegal armed groups”, the “complete de-occupation” and the return to Ukraine of control over part of the border with Russia.

“Only this can be the path to real peace,” the statement emphasizes.

"Ways of reconciliation"

We will remind, Vitold Fokin in the 1990s was the first prime minister of Ukraine after its independence.

Prior to that, he worked at the State Planning Committee of the Ukrainian SSR.

Last August, Zelensky introduced Fokin to the TCG.

Commenting on his appointment, Fokin noted then that he considers the main task to be to end the bloodshed and the division of Ukraine into two warring camps.

“I am sure that there are ways of reconciliation, but so far no one knows them.

Today we need to look for them and find them, ”he said.

  • RIA News

  • © Sergey Averin

However, he quickly became the target of criticism from the Ukrainian political community.

The reason for the resignation was Fokin's statement that he did not see evidence that there was a war between Russia and Ukraine in the Donbass.

"I am not a politician ... I have not seen any confirmation that there is a war between Ukraine and Russia," Fokin said, speaking at a committee meeting in the Rada.

He was summoned to parliament after the words that the amnesty should be universal.

Fokin added that mercenaries from almost 30 countries are fighting against Ukraine in Donbass, "including with the support of the Russian Federation."

In early September, the politician said that in order to end the war, it is necessary not only to declare a general amnesty, to hold elections, but also to resolve the issue of the special status of certain regions, "and, best of all, the entire Donbass."

In an interview with STRANA.ua, Fokin proposed a compromise - the announcement of a general amnesty in exchange for Moscow's refusal to demand a special status for Donbass in the Ukrainian constitution.

The ex-prime minister's statements angered Ukrainian political circles.

For example, Petro Poroshenko's party "European Solidarity" called for the immediate removal of Fokine from the TCG, calling his position threatening the country's territorial integrity.

Political decision

The statements of Vitold Fokin, based in many respects on the text of the Minsk agreements, really contradict the line that official Kiev has taken in recent years, experts say.

The Ukrainian leadership makes it clear that it does not consider itself bound by the conditions signed in 2015 and regularly puts forward initiatives to revise Minsk.

“The decision to resign Fokin was made because his statements contradict Kiev's course.

Zelensky could not help dismissing him, because all the Rada deputies supported this decision, with the exception of the faction of the Opposition Platform - For Life party.

And Zelensky is now not in a position to conflict with the political elite of Ukraine because of Fokin, "the president of the Center noted in a commentary on RT.

system analysis and forecasting Rostislav Ishchenko.

  • DPR militia

  • Reuters

  • © Alexander Ermochenko

Denis Denisov, director of the Institute for Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology, expressed a similar point of view in an interview with RT.

“Fokin's statements contradicted the official position of Kiev.

And today the Ukrainian authorities are simply pushing aside those people who have an alternative point of view, are able to think independently.

As a result, the negotiations practically stopped, ”Denisov explained.

As the representative of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic in the political subgroup in negotiations with Kiev, Rodion Miroshnik, noted in the RT commentary, the very wording with which Fokin was dismissed contradict Ukraine's obligations under the Minsk Agreements.

“The Ukrainian government tried to change the interpretation of the Minsk agreements, constantly repeated non-existent provisions and imposed them on society.

Fokin, however, read the agreement in the original, and they could not forgive him for this, ”explained Miroshnik.

Note that earlier the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied

territories Aleksey Reznikov said that Kiev does not intend to consolidate the special status of Donbass in the basic law of the country, although this requirement is laid down in the Minsk agreements.

“The President (Volodymyr Zelenskyy. -

RT

) during the December summit of the Normandy format leaders in Paris last year gave a clear understanding that there will be no changes to the Constitution of Ukraine regarding the inclusion of any special status there, this is excluded,” Reznikov said. speaking at a meeting in the Verkhovna Rada.

  • Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov

  • © Press service of the President of Ukraine

According to Reznikov, Kiev will insist on revising the Minsk agreements of February 12, 2015.

Recently, this is not the only statement of this kind by the Ukrainian side.

Back in July 2020, Aleksey Reznikov also called for a revision of the Minsk Agreements, saying that they do not correspond to current realities.

“Because today the terms stipulated in the Minsk Agreements (2014-2015) have already expired, and these Minsk Agreements have not been implemented,” he said on the air of the Ukraine 24 TV channel.

Negotiation deadlock

Recall, having signed the Minsk agreements, Ukraine has assumed a number of obligations.

On the first day after the withdrawal of troops from the line of contact, a dialogue should start on holding local elections in accordance with Ukrainian law.

As a result of these negotiations, the Rada should adopt a resolution indicating the territory to which the special regime will apply, in addition, Kiev should adopt a law on amnesty in connection with the conflict in Donbass.

At the same time, the transfer of control over the border to Ukraine can begin only on the first day after the local elections and end after a complete political settlement.

Another clause of the Minsk agreements states that a constitutional reform should be carried out in Ukraine, which implies the decentralization of the country, taking into account the peculiarities of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

According to Rodion Miroshnik, the resignation of Vitold Fokin in itself is unlikely to affect the work of the contact group, since his role was not significant.

“However, he could play an important role in Ukraine.

Fokin tried to convey a plausible statement of the Minsk agreements to the population of the country, ”Miroshnik said.

Experts are confident that Kiev will continue to try to rewrite the Minsk agreements.

“In fact, it cannot even be called attempts, because Kiev simply refuses to fulfill the Minsk agreements,” Rostislav Ishchenko is sure.

Denis Denisov adheres to a similar point of view.

“Zelensky and representatives of his office are openly talking about the revision of the Minsk agreements.

And this rhetoric will in no way help to resolve the conflict, but can only leave it in a frozen state without any prospect of a full resolution, ”the expert summed up.