You're reading: Ex-US ambassador doubts Russia’s readiness to give consent to peacekeeper mission in Donbas

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (1998-2000) Steven Pifer has said that he doubts that Russia is ready to give its consent to the peacekeeper mission at the whole territory of the Kyiv uncontrolled Donbas.

He is skeptical about the Putin’s proposal. He expressed hope that he is mistaken and Russia is really trying to get out of the situation the country brought itself in Donbas. However, it looks like that the proposal should be changed and made so that peacekeepers were not only on the contact line, but on the entire territory of Donbas and the border, he said. He said that it is unlikely that Russia would give its consent to this, he told reporters on the sidelines of the 14th annual YES conference in Kyiv on Friday, September 15.

Pifer said that the meeting of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for next week is important with the fact that it will be held. The sides could discuss the UN peacekeeper mission in Donbas.

Commenting on sanctions, the former ambassador said that it is important to maintain focus of international society not only on Donbas, but also Crimea.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (2003-2006) John E. Herbst said that it is for Trump to decide whether to give lethal weapons to Ukraine. He does not rule out that the decision could be made by the end of this year.