Pro-president’s party members appeal to Zelensky over principled positions in talks with Russia

The text of their joint statement was posted on Facebook by several MPs, including Oleksandr Tkachenko, Bohdan Yaremenko, Yehor Chernev, and Mykyta Poturayev.

“We share concerns of the public about the ongoing statements by various officials regarding the possibility of resuming water supplies to the occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea; unacceptable statements claiming it’s an internal conflict we have in eastern Ukraine, etc,” the statement reads.

“We cannot but notice the decision approved by Ukraine’s representatives within the framework of the Trilateral artite Contact Group to create an Advisory Council within the political subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group,” deputies say, noting that it is alarming that the newly created Advisory Council will include on an equal footing as parties to the consultations representatives of Ukraine and certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

“According to Ukrainian legislation, it’s the occupation authorities of the Russian Federation that are operating in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, having usurped power there,” deputies say. “Consequently, Ukrainian legislation makes it impossible to recognize in any form any authority of the so-called ‘LPR’, ‘DPR’, ‘ORDLO [occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions]’, etc. All negotiations regarding the protection of rights and interests of citizens of Ukraine, as well as regarding the cessation of armed aggression, must be conducted exclusively with the Russian Federation and its representatives,” the statement says.

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“The legitimacy of representatives of the so-called ORDLO can be recognized only if they have been appointed official representatives or official authorities of our state,” MPs stress.

In this regard, deputies with the Servant of the People Party appealed to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the need to instruct Ukraine’s representatives to the Trilateral Contact Group and all negotiators representing Ukraine “to return to the framework of Ukrainian legislation and not allow the implementation of the announced decisions regarding the creation of the Consultative Group in the manner and forms that find no support among the Ukrainian people, contradict the existing legislation and national interests.”

“We also urge President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to oblige the Ukrainian delegation to hold consultations on a regular basis and brief the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on approaches and the progress in negotiations,” the statement said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group with the participation of Presidential Office Chief Andriy Yermak and deputy head of Putin’s administration Dmitry Kozak, it was decided to set up an Advisory Council on political issues as part of the Group.