Putin: Minsk ceasefire deal for Ukraine is ‘over-dramatized’
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on Russia’s space program in the Bocharov Ruchei residence outside the Black Sea resort of in Sochi, Russia, Nov. 12, 2015 (AP photo)
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Minsk ceasefire, US lethal weapons and Ukraine debt are key issues on Russia agenda at G20
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the Minsk ceasefire deal for Ukraine has been ‘over-dramatized’.
The Kremlin strongman made the comments in an interview with the Russian Interfax and Turkish Anadolu news agencies, ahead of the 10th G20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey on the 15th and 16th November.
Read also Russian-separatist forces strengthen positions, bolster surveillance: Ukrainian MoD
Putin said: “I would not over-dramatize the delay in implementing the Minsk ceasefire agreements. Despite some difficulties, they are implemented, and the most important thing is that the provisions, principles and logics of the document are not questioned….it is just about the extension of technical terms.”
The Russian leader questioned why the US Congress is still considering supplying lethal aid to Ukraine.
Read also One Ukrainian soldier killed, three wounded over past 24 hours
“Now that hostilities have ended and attacks are quite rare, it is unclear why the US Congress considers the possibility to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine. That prompts a question: whether they have a desire to rekindle the war and provoke hostilities”, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin leader again suggested that Ukraine and the Russian-backed militant leadership hold direct negotiations, despite a refusal from President Petro Poroshenko.
Putin said: “Now that he (Poroshenko) has finally managed to achieve the ceasefire in the region, it is important that the conflict parties start jointly searching areas of common interest.”….”They need to learn to listen to and hear each other. A compromise will depend on it,”
Within the frameworks of the G20 summit, Putin will discuss Ukraine’s debt to Russia with IMF head Christine Lagarde, according to presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
Ushakov said that Kyiv owes USD 3 billion to Moscow, and this “must be settled in due time, on December 21 2015”. “If Ukraine does not do so, we reserve the right to file a law suit”.
Watch also IMF chief urges Ukraine’s creditors to accept debt restructuring programme
Russia bought USD 3 billion worth of eurobonds from Ukraine in December 2013 on condition Kyiv would pay off the debt by December 2015. The eurobonds were placed in the Irish Stock Exchange and facilitated by VTB, Russia’s second largest bank. A total of USD 15 billion was promised by Russia to help buffer Ukraine’s difficult economic situation on a condition that a new government was formed. However, Russia did not offer new funds to Ukraine after the Maidan uprising broke out in the country.
Ukraine will declare a moratorium on the payment of ‘Russian debt’ if Moscow does not accept the terms of the proposed restructuring deal, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Friday (November 13) during a meeting with the US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew in Kyiv.
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