You're reading: Ukraine, Russia, OSCE slam separatists for lack of efforts in peace talks

Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, who represents Ukraine in Minsk negotiations to bring ain end to Russia's war against Ukraine, said on Dec. 10 that the next round of talks won’t happen until Russian-backed separatists fully abide by the cease-fire deal reached in September.

The peace negotiations had been scheduled to reconvene on Dec. 9. But since then, the Ukrainian military counted at least 10 attacks by insurgents. The monitors of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe confirmed reports about shelling from separatists’ side.

“I don’t think this meeting is expedient at a time when the other party cannot ensure the cease-fire,” Kuchma told the interview to Interfax-Ukraine.

“Let them show that they actually want peace, not war, that they fully control their armed forces.”

Surprisingly Russia took Ukrainian side in this regard. In a joint statement issued by trilateral group that include Ukraine, Russia and OSCE representatives the parties criticized the insurgents.

“All participants expressed their concern, that the representatives of some regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine were not ready to be adequately represented, avoided to engage in substantive discussions on cessation of hostilities and restoring peace in Donbass,” said the joint statement issued on Dec. 9 after talks in Kyiv.

The leaders of self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic demanded to extend the day of meeting in Minsk. Kuchma said the rebels didn’t agree on Dec. 9 “for unknown reasons.”

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Dec. 9 that the last reports by separatist leaders showed they were ready “for cooperation with the Ukrainian side, for restoration of common economic, humanitarian and political area.”

On Dec. 9, Russia moved its forces from the parts of Kherson Oblast bordering with annexed Crimea, Viktor Nazarenko, the head of Ukraine’s state border service reported.  

Russia also sent a group of its military specialists to Debaltseve in Donetsk Oblast, an especially dangerous front line between Ukrainian troops and separatists. They said their representatives were going to work together with Ukrainian side and OSCE “to find compromise solutions on de-escalating the tension and withdrawing the troops from the contact line,” said Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, according to Interfax.

The Ukrainian forced admitted the first day of relative cease-fire brought no casualties among Ukrainian soldiers in the last 24 hours, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko said at a briefing on Dec. 10.

Kyiv Post staff writer Oksana Grystenko can be reached at [email protected]