The only chance to reestablish Ukrainian sovereignty over occupied territory in Donbas is to use political and diplomatic methods, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said while commenting on a rally of Azov Civil Corps members staged in the center of Kyiv on May 20 in protest against local elections in eastern Ukraine.
“I can’t help sharing some thoughts about today’s march in Kyiv. These pictures were shown first on Russian television: tires, firecrackers, reports on injured policemen and injured civilians. These pictures have been circulated deliberately to allege that some are trying to destabilize the situation in the country. I’d like to stress my absolutely clear position once again: there is no military way to retake Donbas,” Poroshenko said at a meeting of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council on May 20.
Ensuring international solidarity and supporting the country that provides an appropriate level of security, releasing hostages, withdrawing occupying forces from the occupied territories, [involving] political principles of the settlement, retaking control over the Ukrainian state border is a key position for Ukraine, the president said.
In addition, it allows for an effective extension of the special monitoring mission and the deployment of a special armed OSCE police mission, which would help ensure a peaceful transition.
Poroshenko stressed that the basic principles of the Minsk agreements were built on his peace plan. “Derailing the peace process under the guise of any idea is absolutely irresponsible towards the state, and it will only lead to the fact that part of Donetsk and Luhansk will remain under occupation a result of these processes,” Poroshenko said.
“I cannot let it happen as a commander-in-chief, as president. This is far from being my scenario,” he said.
In his words, most Ukrainians support peace and the peaceful return of Ukrainian sovereignty over the occupied territories. “We will stick to that course,” he added.
A spokesperson for Kyiv police later debunked media reports about injuries and the use of explosives during the Azov rally.
“Some media reported that explosives were used and one guardsman was injured during the Kyiv rally today. These reports are fakes. No explosive objects were used and nobody was injured,” press secretary of Kyiv’s police Oksana Blyschyk wrote on Facebook on May 20 afternoon.
