The Russians are trying to drive Ukraine into a dead end in Minsk - former president Kuchma said

Former President Leonid Kuchma said that "the Russians are trying to drive Ukraine into a dead end" at the talks in Minsk.
He stated this as the representative of Ukraine to the negotiations under the YES forum in Kiev.
"The Kremlin puts a very simple condition in these negotiations:" We have to feed and water the Donbass, and they will lead in this area "- said Kuchma, who heads the Ukrainian delegation at the talks in Minsk.
According to him, the Russian authorities want to sit at the negotiating table the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and one of the rebel leaders Alexander Zakharchenko - and thus get to recognize the "DNR" and "LC".
"This will not happen" - said Kuchma.
"And Donbass is well aware that the coming day prepares them, winter is approaching, and there are enough problems and people will ask, where is the result," - said Kuchma.

"Of course, it is necessary to seek a compromise on the Donbass" - said Kuchma.
"The fact that Putin controls there all processes, no one no doubt. But you have to watch what will happen tomorrow. Everyone understands that tomorrow the problem will not be solved. On of post-Soviet space, no such conflict is not resolved to this day" - he said he.
"I think that Moscow poses a problem including the Donbas: no war, no peace. But this is a huge cost, including and economic for Russia," - said Kuchma.
According to him, "the situation in the economy will force Moscow to consider how to get out of all this."
"They want to lose all to Ukraine, but to control the power there," - said Kuchma.
So far, he said, are not fulfilled the basic conditions of the Minsk Agreement.
"We stand firmly on the position that the end of the year it should be done, and (so) we got control of the border of Ukraine at the Donbass. The border for us - a question of principle," - said Kuchma.
The next big meeting in Minsk on September 22 must pass. Prior to that, negotiations are expert groups and telephone calls leaders of the state of Normandy format.

Original