Interfax: “DPR: Political union with Ukraine is impossible”

(Interfax – December 5, 2014) The administration of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) says it is ready for negotiations with Ukraine on economic issues, but a political union is impossible.

“The issue of giving Donbas autonomous status as part of Ukraine is out of date. We are now saying that a political union with Ukraine is impossible. However, we are ready for negotiations on economic, socio-cultural and other issues. We will temporarily remain in the Ukrainian customs space. Time will show what will happen next,” DPR Supreme Council Speaker Andrei Purgin told Interfax.

Purgin said the DPR administration is ready to discuss the use of the hryvnia as a currency with Kyiv.

“The range of issues for dialogue on economic issues is very broad. We are open for cooperation here and we don’t want to ruin the economic relations that have taken years to form. For this reason, we are ready to discuss profitable working conditions for businesses, at least a temporary unified customs space, and the use of the hryvnia as a currency,” Purgin said.

At a press conference in Astana, French President Francois Hollande that he believes that the territorial integrity of Ukraine should be preserved and the eastern regions of the country should be given “some autonomy.”