Tskhinval, Sep 19 – DAN. Donetsk People’s Republic Head Denis Pushilin believes that it is opportune at the present time to consider sanctions against Ukraine following the Ukrainian delegation’s behaviour at the Donbass peace talks in Minsk.
“If the international community is so eager to promote the policy of sanctions, it is high time to talk about sanctions against Ukraine, which is not fulfilling the latest accords, not mentioning previous ones,” Pushilin said at a press conference in Tskhinval on Thursday.
“For example, (sanctions might be imposed) by Germany and France that act as guarantors of the agreements," he said.
The latest round of Donbass talks was held in the Belarussian capital on Wednesday. The parties were expected to coordinate and sign the Steinmeier formula whose text had been sent to the Contact Group by political advisors to the “Normandy Four” leaders in a special letter.
Ukraine refused to sign the coordinated text of the formula. Ukrainian representative to the Contact Group Leonid Kuchma did not sign the document despite its approval by Ukrainian presidential aide Andrey Yermak.
In early 2016, the then German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier suggested a mechanism to enforce the law on Donbass special status on the day of local elections on a temporary basis, and permanently upon the OSCE publishing its report on the elections outcome. The mechanism was suggested in early 2016; despite the positive opinion of Minsk talks participants, Ukraine refused to make headway in its implementation.*jk