Ukraine says talks with Russia’s puppet formations in Donbas off table

Chief of the Ukrainian President’s Office Andriy Yermak, along with other Ukrainian officials retains the position that negotiations on settlement in eastern Ukraine should be held with the Russian side, not the Russia-controlled formations operating in the temporarily occupied territories.

There are no and can’t be any legally binding steps Ukraine must take regarding the occupation formation in Donetsk and Luhansk, Mykhailo Podoliak, Advisor to the head of the President’s Office, told in a comment to Ukrinform.

Andriy Yermak and all other Ukrainian officials assume that it is expedient and fair to negotiate peace in Donbas with the Russian side. It is the Russian side, not any puppet formations, that is the party to a difficult conflict dialogue. There are no and cannot be legally binding steps of Ukraine in relation to the occupation structures in Donetsk and Luhansk. We should talk with decision-makers, not posers," Podoliak stressed.

The advisor noted that the Ukrainian side has reaffirmed this position multiple times and that the country’s partners fully understand it.

The advisor to the head of the President’s Office also noted that "from the perspective of Ukraine’s national interests and elementary decency, it would be nonsense to make representatives of the occupation formations newsmakers."

"It is unfortunate that some Ukrainian media, for the sake of hype and manipulative sensationalism, fall down to a level where they view the occupiers and their propaganda spins as a reliable source," Podoliak added.

As reported earlier, certain media outlets claimed the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, a meeting of advisers to the Normandy Four leaders in Paris on January 26, allegedly undertook to consider "proposals" of so-called "representatives" of the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions toward conflict settlement.

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