Expert forecasts Normandy summit, prisoner swap to be blocked by Russia

He says Ukraine may seek tougher sanctions over Russia's inability to negotiate.

Ukrainian political scientist Kyrylo Sazonov forecasts Russia may block a new Normandy summit and another round of the prisoner swap.

He announced his forecasts on TV Channel Ukraina 24.

Asked whether the Normandy summit would take place, he said: "I think no, definitely no ... Russia has repeatedly announced – both [Vladimir] Putin and representatives of the Kremlin said – that it is necessary to meet when there are some results and there is something to discuss. While we see Russia putting forth its demands that Ukraine categorically rejects, so there is no sense in meeting."

Sazonov suggested that Russia "will block the meeting, refuse it."

"We could use the meeting – we will once again highlight the problem, again draw the attention of Germany and France to it. Perhaps we will seek tougher sanctions, show Russia's inability to negotiate. But the Kremlin also understands this very well, therefore the meeting is most unlikely; so is an exchange of prisoners. Russia needs no people – they are ready to return our captives only in exchange for political concessions," the expert said.

Ukraine's Action Plan for Donbas

The Office of the President introduced an Action Plan for Donbas after a Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) meeting. It said the plan should be developed based on proposals put forth by participants in the Normandy Four summit.
On November 5, the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG announced five main points of the new action plan for Donbas settlement.
On November 10, the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG stated that the members of the subgroup on political issues "took as a basis" the Action Plan for Donbas proposed by the Ukrainian side.
On November 24, Russia's representative in the political working subgroup, Aleksey Dmitrievsky, said Moscow would support the plan formally submitted by their proxy forces in Donbas.

01.12.2020 09:47