Hopes for constructive dialogue with Ukraine “rapidly dissipated” because the Ukrainian authorities draw “red lines” instead of “come to terms with the realities that exist”. So it is possible to convey two Russian high-ranking officials, an interview which was published on Thursday. Is the Chairman of the security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and Deputy head of the presidential administration Dmitry Kozak, supervising the Ukrainian direction. At the same time Russia’s “red lines”, according to Moscow, not at all. And the question of entering Donetsk and Lugansk in the Russian Federation “was never discussed”.On Thursday, two major Russian media Agency TASS and “Komsomolskaya Pravda” published an interview with Dmitry Kozak and Dmitry Medvedev, respectively. Both of them mention relations with Ukraine, but the first devoted to this topic entirely, and the second involves a broader range of issues — from Russia’s domestic policy to an arms race with the United States.The idea about Ukraine, which convey both officials, is that the official Kiev should accept the reality that emerged after the annexation of Crimea to Russia, less responsive to protests by nationalists and to begin to “bridge the gap” with the uncontrolled territories of Donbass. “We understand that our colleagues from Kiev it is difficult enough to make decisions in those domestic political conditions in which they are today,— he said. We see that any attempt to make a constructive decision for the implementation of the Minsk agreements cause violent obstruction of their political opponents, including their predecessors, who are the co-authors of the Minsk agreements”. According to him, due to such pressure hopes the situation will improve after the election of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, if not completely collapsed, “rapidly dissipated”.Watershed Dmitry Kozak called the meeting of the Trilateral contact group on 11 March. Then the parties moved close enough to the creation of so-called Advisory Council, which was to include representatives of Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk, without intermediaries to engage in dialogue. But, as recalled by the Russian official, “the next day the meeting of the contact group were subjected to powerful pressure” and “constructive attitude of the representatives of Ukraine have radically changed almost the opposite.” Thus, the responsibility for resolving the Ukrainian conflict Dmitry Kozak completely laid on the Vladimir Zelensky and his entourage.”If the President’s team Zelensky will maintain consistent, direct and honest dialogue with the Donbas, the prospect of resolving the conflict there.And in a relatively short time. If the position is the same as it is quite openly demonstrated in recent months, the negotiations only in order to tighten them and nothing to negotiate, it is a direct way to freeze the conflict for many years,” he said. But then admitted that instead of Kiev sets “red lines” that are not clear, but certainly “go beyond “red lines” of the Minsk agreements”.But in Moscow, according to mister Kozaka, no “red lines” not at all. “Representatives of Russia in the contact group have a simple and unambiguous Directive to support any agreements that are reached between the Donbass and Ukraine to prevent escalation and a peaceful political settlement of the conflict. Any”— he stressed. However, the absence of “red lines” does not mean the readiness of the Kremlin in that case to include the territory of the unrecognized republics of the Donbass a part of Russia as recently said the head of the volunteer Union of Donbass Alexander Boroday. “At the state level questions in such a setting — even in the first approximation — was never discussed. We do not lose hope for a peaceful political settlement of the conflict”,— said Dmitry Kozak. Dmitry Medvedev commented on the topic of negotiations on Donbass in a broader context. The journalist asked him how to prevent similar deterioration of relations with Belarus, after “for the last 20 years, Russia fought with Georgia and Ukraine.” “About Ukraine I can only say that after what happened, our relationship changed, of course. They have changed for obvious reasons after the referendum in the Crimea and the reunification of the Crimea with Russia,— he admitted.— But this does not mean that we want to carry out some unfriendly policy towards Ukraine. No, the Ukrainians must come to terms with the realities that exist, and to resolve the internal crisis in the South-East of his country.”True, in Kiev, on Wednesday, July 8, once again gave to understand that doesn’t believe the conflict in the Donbass internal. This also happened during an interview with the head of the Ministry of foreign Affairs Dmitry Kuleba “Voice of America”. “There is one question that blocks everything. If the solution to this question, you can continue to move forward. And this question — a direct dialogue. Russia insists that we should only negotiate with the DPR and LPR (Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics.— “Kommersant”). And we insist that we must engage in dialogue with Russia and seek solutions with them.”Kirill Krivosheev
