As long as Russia does not recognize itself as a party of the conflict, there will be no progress in achieving peace, Mykola Katerynchuk said on Apostrophe.TV.
“The Trilateral Contact Group is valuable only because there is a discussion about the exchange of prisoners in it. There is no more benefit from this group. TCG is helpless and unnecessary. Ukraine in this group is in an awkward situation. Russia does not recognize itself as a party of the armed conflict, calls itself a “peacemaker” and does not agree to change the order of implementation of the Minsk agreements, as the Ukrainian side insists. Therefore, after the exchange of people, the TCG needs to be closed and the discussion needs to be moved to the Normandy Format. And whoever heads the contact group instead of Kuchma tomorrow, we will not get results. It’s not about personalities, it’s about Russia, which does not recognize itself as a party of the war. Zelensky needs his own peace plan to replace the Minsk agreements, but this plan must be based on the fact that Russia will be officially recognized as an aggressor and a participant in the military conflict. And peace within the framework of the Minsk agreements is peace on the terms of capitulation. Therefore, the format of Minsk should be closed”, said Mykola Katerynchuk.
Press service of the European Party of Ukraine