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DPR leader does not believe Ukraine will ever implement Minsk Accords

In his opinion, Donbass is generally ready for a possible Ukrainian offensive

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin has stated that the republic has no illusions about Kiev implementing the Minsk Accords. According to him, guarantor states are not sending "correct messages," while the US leadership is attempting "to play along" with Ukraine.

"On our part, we don’t have any illusions anymore before meetings both with the Contact Group and in the Normandy format at various levels, we can tell and predict how it will all end. <...> We don’t see any conditions, any correct messages on the part of the guarantor states, on the part of the US. Actually, on the contrary, the US is now even trying to play along with Ukraine at this level," the DPR leader said in an interview with RT.

He noted that the prolonged conflict has not yet ended because of Ukraine’s attempts to stall the process. "Unfortunately, it is necessary to state that Ukraine is managing to do so quite successfully."

In his opinion, Donbass is generally ready for a possible Ukrainian offensive. The DPR head did not rule out, however, turning to Russia for help depending on the complexity of the situation.

In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against Donbass. The Minsk Package of Measures (Minsk-2), signed by the participants of the Contact Group on February 12, 2015, is the foundation for settling the conflict in the region. The document, in addition to a ceasefire and the withdrawal of military equipment, provides for a profound constitutional reform in Ukraine with the resulting decentralization of power, taking into account the special status of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions as well as the holding of elections there. This plan has not been implemented to this day, including due to the position of the Ukrainian side which, contrary to the order established by the Minsk Accords, refuses to implement political points until security issues are settled.

At the highest level, Russia has repeatedly expressed its adherence to the 2015 Minsk Accords which it considers the only way of settling the internal conflict in Ukraine.

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