MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. A change of regime in Ukraine is only possible if a transition period - guaranteed jointly by Russia and the United States - is established, former Ukrainian Prime Minister (2010-2014) Nikolay Azarov told TASS in an interview.

"How do we change this regime? To do so, we need the agreement of two key players: Russia and the US. They are the ones who can provide for regime change and a transition period to set the stage for free elections, restore democratic rights and freedoms, reinstate Ukraine's Constitution, bring back opposition parties and the media, and get rid of secret prisons and the punitive regime. When all these conditions are met - and I think Trump understands this - then it will be possible to establish a proper democratic regime," he said.

According to Azarov, Europe is not interested in peace in Ukraine, and its leaders avoid addressing questions about the type of regime they support, as well as about rampant corruption, terrorism, murders, and the persecution of opposition figures and the media in the country. "What will they say in response? I think [the answer will contain] yet more hypocrisy. But if Trump is really interested in peace, then there is no other way," Azarov stressed.

On August 8, Trump announced that he expected to meet with the Russian president in Alaska on August 15. Later, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirmed the plan, saying the leaders would focus on discussing options for achieving a long-term peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.