MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko uses the current escalation in Donbass to delay reforms envisaged by the Minsk agreements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

"As soon as it became clear that security can be ensured is what has been agreed is observed, he [Poroshenko] understood that he would be pressed for political reforms, for an amnesty law, for a law on Donbass’ special status, for fixing this status in the constitution and organizing elections. And all this should be done upon agreement with Donetsk and Lugansk," he said in an interview with Russia’s NTV television channel. "As soon as he understood that, he obviously saw it clearly that his political days would be numbered should he submit such initiatives to the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament)."

"So, it crossed Poroshenko’s mind that it would be right to turn a blind eye on what is done by paramilitary battalions and, maybe, even to hint to them that it’s time to begin shooting now and then," Lavrov said.

However, in his words, the West is beginning to see what the Ukrainian authorities are worth. And this is "the only positive thing" about the current situation. "But it has been earned through months, if not years, of bloodshed," he added.