Batkivschyna Dpty Chair: Security guarantees from USA, EU to open chance for peace
The final stage of preparation of security guarantees from the United States and the EU inspires hope that Ukraine will receive not only a truce, but also a chance for peace, Deputy Chairman of the Batkivschyna faction Serhiy Soboliev has said.
"In my opinion, what is much more interesting is not what happened in Abu Dhabi, but what happened in the United States, in the European Union, when we are actually entering the final stage of documents that have already been submitted, as the Ukrainian and American sides claim, and which will be submitted further for ratification by the Congress and Parliament of Ukraine. I mean the agreement on security guarantees that the United States of America is ready to provide. The situation is similar with a similar agreement with the European Union. I think that all this together gives great hope that after all we will have not only a ceasefire, but with the existing guarantees and a stable peace," Soboliev told Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.
He believes that the key issue at the next stage of negotiations will be the issue of the territory of Donetsk region, which is controlled by Ukraine, but there are no prospects for its resolution.
"The key issue that Russia is facing remains unresolved - the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territory (primarily from Donetsk region) controlled by Ukraine. And here I do not see any chances for progress yet. Here we need to look for a compromise option that could absolutely clearly bring this situation into line with Ukrainian legislation, which no one can bypass, neither the parliament nor the president," Soboliev said.
According to the politician, a significant issue in the negotiations is the issue of managing Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in the occupied city of Enerhodar.
"Those 'concessions' in quotes that Russia has made – the proposal to divide electricity from the occupied Zaporizhia NPP between the two countries (Ukraine and Russia) – are only the first step. And if this first step ends with international control or control by the United States over the Zaporizhia NPP, then it has a chance to survive. If the Russian Federation will be in control, then the intention to give us, or even more so to sell us 50% of the electricity that Zaporizhzhia NPP will produce if it is launched, is still a path to nowhere," the MP said.
Soboliev believes that such important issues as the exchange of all for all, the release of all political prisoners, the exchange of prisoners of war should be raised in the negotiations.
"The post-war reconstruction of Ukraine remains. Without a doubt, without the arrested Russian assets it is impossible to solve this issue, even with $800 billion of aid to Ukraine... But I am convinced that we need to start with real figures – the funds of frozen Russian assets," the faction's deputy chairman said.
According to the politician, there is also an issue that should have been resolved "yesterday."
"This is compensation for lost housing and the possibility of building housing for those Ukrainian citizens who lost it either in the occupied territories or as a result of Russian shelling. This is a question of survival 'for hundreds of thousands of our citizens who were left without a roof over their heads and are now forced to stay either with neighbors or acquaintances, or rent housing, or generally seek their fate abroad," Soboliev said.