All news

President says Ukraine will never accept Russia’s conditions for peace in Donbass

Poroshenko once again accused Moscow of aggressive aspirations and unwillingness to search for a peaceful solution to the issue

KIEV, August 22. /TASS/. Kiev will never accept Moscow’s conditions for resolving the Donbass conflict, Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko said at a meeting with former participants in the military operation in the country’s southeast on Wednesday. He once again accused Moscow of aggressive aspirations and unwillingness to search for a peaceful solution to the issue.

"The key to peace can be found neither in Kiev, nor in Washington nor in Brussels," Poroshenko said. "The Kremlin holds the key to peace. But if someone tries to impose Russia’s onerous terms on us, I would like to point out that it would be unacceptable not only for the president but for the entire Ukrainian nation as well, for this is not a path leading to peace," he added.

At the same time, the Ukrainian president stressed that Kiev was betting on a strong army in resolving the conflict. "We have a strong army so I am confident that we will achieve peace," he said.

Poroshenko also made it clear that it was the stance he was going to advocate during the upcoming election campaign. "The presidential, parliamentary and local elections guarantee that there will be no return to the Russian empire," he said.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Ukraine in 2019. Many Ukrainian politicians have already announced plans to stand in the elections, however, Poroshenko has not made any official statements yet.