Ex-Ukraine Prez blames Kyiv, US over failure of Minsk Peace Agreement

Amid the intensifying situation in Ukraine, its former President Viktor Yanukovych, on Monday, has accused Kyiv and its US patrons responsible for the poor implementation of the peace agreement (Minsk Agreement) in the disputed regions. While speaking to the Russian news agency, Sputnik, Yanukovych recalled how an initiative group was formed from people of different genres and countries- Ukraine, Russia, Israel, and the US in order to establish peace in Donbass. He said that the group had people from diverse backgrounds including top industrialists, businessmen, religious leaders, academics, and journalists. According to him, if the group had tried to implement the Minsk Agreements properly, it could have been swiftly enforced and peace could have been accomplished. 

"Starting from 2015 and until the beginning of 2022, this initiative group carried out a tremendous amount of organizational work, negotiations, persuasion, clarification with the representatives of Ukraine, Russia, the US and some EU countries. As a rule, we were heard out, discussions were mostly conducted in a correct manner, no one denied that peace must be achieved. But in the end, we received neither a 'yes' nor a 'no,"' he told to Sputnik.

The former Ukrainian leader also accused the incumbent President Zelenskyy of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Kyiv. Notably, Yanukovych accused Zelenskyy despite knowing the latter was not in politics and was a television actor when the peace agreement was signed. Yanukovych said that his team had approached Zelenskyy to execute a plan to resolve the conflict in the Donbass region. He accused that the office of Zelenskyy had refused to entertain his plan. "Our representatives handed this project to Volodymyr Zelenskyy for review and study. It was agreed that they would study it and get back to us with an answer. The answer came very promptly: 'we are not interested in this.' My people were indignant - if they are not interested in peace, what are they interested in?" Sputnik quoted the former president as saying. 

Zelenskyy failed to fulfil his election campaign promises, says Yanukovych

It is pertinent to mention here that the battle between Ukraine's government and the breakaway Donetsk and, Lugansk Republics is not new. It has been going on since 2014. In a bid to control the violence in the Donbas region, an accord called the Minsk agreement was signed in February 2015. The deal came after tough negotiations among leaders of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine — the Normandy group. However, the agreement did not exhibit the desired result, and, it is visible only in the papers, resulting in frequent sporadic clashes. Further, he told the news agency that the incumbent President had vowed to resolve the issue during his election campaign, however, he added Zelenskyy failed to fulfil the promises he made, resulting in further chaos in the Donbass region. 

Image: AP