Why There is No Progress in the Negotiations on Ukrainain Crisis?

• 08.06.2015, 10:58
• Anna Karapetyan
•  Europe,  "Insight" Analytical Center

The meeting of the Contact Group on the Ukrainian crisis once again did not record any success. This time the sides were trying to pre-sign an agreement on the withdrawal of the troops, but in vain. This was postponed.

To make the negotiations easier now thematic subgroups are working, which prepare the documents that are being discussed during the Contact Group meetings. However, this process has not recorded any results yet.  Moreover, the situation in Donbass from time to time becomes quite tense and on August 3 Gorlovka city was put under curfew.

The reason for such a situation is not the incompatible approaches of the parties, but lack of political will to resolve the crisis. Ukraine wants to continue its constructive negotiations and show the West its constructivism so as not to be left without the growing financial influx.  

In addition, the country's economic situation, at least at this moment, shows that in fall Ukraine will again depend on Russian gas, as alternative solutions are not found yet. These circumstances force Kiev to continue the talks and show the will to normalize the situation, at least at rhetorical level.

Meanwhile, military activities in the country continue, Ukraine has no control over Donbass and for stabilizing the situation it should resort to serious concessions by providing Lugansk and Donetsk a certain level of autonomy. This, for the authorities that came into power as a result of "Euromaidan" revolution and lost Crimea, is more than risky. On the other hand, concessions on Donbass would further legitimize the current status of Crimea.

Because of this, Poroshenko, making statements about the importance of implementing the Minsk agreements, does not take any significant steps to implement them. In addition, significant progress in the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis could lead to the weakening of anti-Russian sanctions, which in Ukraine is viewed as a challenge. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that no single point of Minsk agreements has been fully implemented and the resolution of the conflict is as far as it was a few months ago.