You're reading: Taruta suggests proceeding from Minsk format to Vienna format with US participation

The negotiation process on the settlement of the situation in the east of Ukraine requires a reset and the transition from the so-called Minsk to the Vienna format with the participation of the United States, People’s Deputy of Ukraine Serhiy Taruta (non-affiliated) has said.

“The Minsk format has completely exhausted itself … None of the three groups (political, economic, humanitarian within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group for the settlement of the situation in Donbas) does not work, so we need to completely reboot the system and move beyond the Vienna format,” Taruta told reporters in Kyiv on Monday.

Justifying his suggestion, the parliamentarian said that Austria is a neutral country and has extensive experience in settling various conflicts. “I think both the president of France and the German Chancellor will agree,” Taruta said.

He admitted that the U.S. president would most likely agree to this format, while he would not want to participate in the Normandy format (Ukraine, Germany, France, Russia),” since this would mean that you play to Paris’ script.”

According to the people’s deputy, Ukraine should “form a powerful group, and not representatives who do not decide anything.” According to him, this group should include “representatives of Donbas.” “And I’m ready to join this group,” Taruta said.

Answering the question whether he is familiar with the bill “On the peculiarities of the state policy for restoring Ukraine’s state sovereignty over the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine,” Taruta replied in the negative.

“Unfortunately, none of the deputies saw it, except those who were at a meeting with the NSDC secretary,” Taruta said.