Interfax: Kiev, unrecognized republics should discuss elections in east Ukraine – Kremlin

(Interfax – September 23, 2015)

The implementation of the Minsk agreements with regard to local elections in Donbass, among other things, should be discussed via a direct dialogue between Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk, presidential spokesman Dmitriy Peskov has said as reported by privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax on 23 September.

This is how Peskov answered a question about whether Moscow is ready to influence the Donbass “militia” with respect to local elections in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics.

Russia takes part in the meetings of the trilateral contact group on the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, therefore, I have nothing to say so far about the local elections in Donbass, Peskov added.

“As President Vladimir Putin has said more than once, the main issue is, of course, the solution of all these questions through a direct dialogue between Kiev and representatives of Donbass because otherwise, it is simply impossible to reach any agreements. Neither the OSCE nor our European colleagues nor Russia cannot achieve agreements for Kiev and Donbass representatives,” he said.

For his part, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoriy Karasin believes that it is counterproductive to make categorical statements about the date of elections in Donbass and hopes for Kiev’s more responsible approach to this issue, Interfax said on 23 September.

“Let us wait for more specific results because now all this is based on some short statements and interviews,” Karasin said.

“We should continue work bearing in mind that we have another meeting of the contact group which will take place next week and four working groups will work; the Normandy Four summit will be held on 2 October,” he added.

“We hope for Kiev’s more responsible approach,” Karasin said.

[featured image is file photo]