President's Office on Fokin's statement: 'Unpleasantly surprised by personal assessments and comments'
The Office of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said it is unpleasantly surprised by the personal assessments and comments in parliament of the first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group Vitold Fokin, the presidential press service reported.
"Everyone who represents the state should always remember that the official should not be confused with the personal. If there are differences in positions, and your own vision, whatever it may be, differs from the state, you need to choose the state as long as you represent the state. Not personal, namely the state vision," the message says.
The President's Office stressed that the official position of Ukraine fully coincides with the objective reality and political truth. In particular, it was with the Russian invasion that the temporary occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol and certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine began. It is Russia that fully controls the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and has a decisive influence on everything that happens there.
It is noted that the work of the Ukrainian delegation in the TCG has always been based on the full sense of the national interests of Ukraine and the absolute truth about the war and who is who in it.
"The personal opinion of each of the representatives of Ukraine not only never interfered with the negotiations, but also did not contradict the official position of the state, our fundamental imperatives and the tasks that President Zelensky set for the delegation," the press service emphasized.
"Undoubtedly, Vitold Fokin's statements, which are categorically at odds with the official positions of the state, have already been properly assessed. First of all, by society, which paid a great price for its ideals. This cannot be misunderstood," the President's Office added.
At the same time, the Office recalled that the goal of the state and its representatives is to achieve sustainable peace only on Ukrainian terms. Namely, an absolute and long-term ceasefire in Donbas, the release of all detainees, the withdrawal of all illegal armed formations and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine, the complete de-occupation and return of Ukraine's control over the border with Russia.
"Our delegation is working in the Trilateral Contact Group for this," the President's Office said.