Sunday's presidential election in Ukraine "is a step toward the end of the crisis," Yury Shuvalov, deputy chief of staff of Russia's State Duma and head of the Duma public relations and media department, said on Monday.
“The Ukrainian government, which is aware of its responsibility for
what is happening in the country, today has a historic chance to reach
mutual understanding with the people of the southeast of the country and
move the conflict into the framework of civilized dialogue,” Shuvalov
said during a meeting with students at the School of Russian Politics.
He expressed hope that, with potential international pressure, it
would be possible to achieve guarantees of security and rights for
everyone in Ukraine and restore peace in the country.
However, “this is impossible without dialogue in which account will
be taken for the aspirations of the people of the southeast and their
right to choose their own form of relationship with the central
authorities,” he said.
“Of course, with the current environment in Ukraine, the presidential
[election] race and the day of voting itself cannot be qualified as
compliant with international law,” Shuvalov said. Nevertheless, the
election “is a step toward the end of the crisis.”
