Nuland: Talks in Moscow were Constructive

• 05.18.2016, 18:47
•  Europe,  World

parstoday.com

Washington will not recognize the results of the elections in Donbass, if they are held out of Minsk agreements,  Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Vitkoria Nuland said at the press conference after talks in Moscow. Early in May the leader of self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic Igor Plotnitskin announced about the possibility of holding elections in Donbass without Kiev, noting that if Kiev does not take a decision on holding elections, then they would do it themselves. In its turn Kiev as a precondition for the holding of elections in Donbass demands full demilitarization of the region by Russia.

As for Nuland's Moscow talks, it should be noted, that according to the State Department representative the central subject of the talks was the strengthening of security in the east of Ukraine and other aspects of the implementation of the Minsk agreements. "We have thoroughly discussed all aspects of the Minsk talks: how we can strengthen the security, improve OSCE access to the conflict zone, move forward in the implementation of political commitments, including the organization and conduct of elections in Donbass," Nuland said during a press conference, commenting on yesterday meeting with Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov. Overall Nuland called the talks in Moscow constructive.

Kremlin in its turn called the talks with State Department representative short exchange of views on the situation in Donbass.  "This meeting should not bring any result," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

It should be noted that though the US is not a member of Normandy quartet, is involved in the settlement process of the conflict in Ukraine. As Nuland said, the US works in parallel with the Normandy Quartet in order to speed up negotiations both with Kiev and Moscow. Washington considers Moscow as a side of the Minsk agreements, while Moscow stresses that the implementation of the Minsk agreements depends only on Kiev.