Western sanctions may compel Russia to agree to support a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Donbas, Trilateral Contract Group representative on political issues and ex-Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. Oleksandr Motsyk has said.
During a press conference in Kyiv on Monday Motsyk said the main task of the UN peacekeeping force would be to help Ukraine attain a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
"The aggressor must leave our territory. We must restore the nation's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Ukraine was the first to appeal to the UN on this question in March 2015. Russia was then against the idea, but recently proposed its conception of peacekeeping. Ukraine thinks the mission must be deployed in occupied territories and on the [Ukraine-Russia] border, but the Russia plan envisages a frozen conflict. This does not suit us," he said.
According to Motsyk, lengthy consultations are in store for official Kyiv in the UN if sides can agree on a peacekeeping mission in Donbas.
