Persons leading negotiations

Over many weeks of confrontation between the “People’s Republics” and Kiev, the first attempt to launch the negotiation process was made on June 23 in Donetsk. For the first time, representatives of the separatists, self -proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, took part in the negotiations on peaceful settlement.

Probably the main result of the meeting is the very fact that it took place, however, it was also possible to agree on a temporary truce until 10 a.m. on Friday, on June 27 - earlier, it was before this period that the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko ordered a unilaterally fire. If this agreement is not violated, then the separatists and Kyiv will have a chance for a political settlement of the conflict.

Negotiations were held in the building of the Donetsk regional administration, the Ukrainian side was not represented there. According to press reports, the meeting was attended by the Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov, the representative of the current head of the OSCE Khaidi Taglian, the second president of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, the head of the Ukrainian Choice Public Organization Viktor Medvedchuk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Donetsk, Alexander Boroday, the leader of the Southeast Movement Oleg Tsarev and representatives of the Luhansk Republic.

Recall that the peace plan of President Poroshenko, in essence, does not imply any negotiations. The head of state announced a one -sided ceasefire, and also proposed his conditions, which consist in expanding the rights of regions, re -raincoaticals of local authorities, as well as in financial injections into the eastern regions of the country. If someone agrees with this plan, the president is ready to offer him an amnesty, if not, the anti-terrorist operation was to continue from the 27th.

On June 19, Irina Gerashchenko, authorized by President Poroshenko, for peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, said that “representatives of the terrorist organizations“ Donetsk People’s Republic ”and“ Lugansk People’s Republic ”will not be allowed to a round table of negotiations initiated by Poroshenko.”

On June 23, on the day of negotiations in Donetsk, the Shevchenkovsky District Court of Kyiv satisfied the petition of the General Prosecutor's Office to arrest some representatives of separatist movements, including Alexander Boroday.

However, as the journalists of the Ukrainian Pravda found out , the delegation of the negotiators before departure from Kiev to the east of the country met with Poroshenko, so their trips can be described as shuttle diplomacy. According to the unitary enterprise, Leonid Kuchma, Mikhail Zurabov, Heidi Taglivini, as well as Viktor Medvedchuk met with Peter Poroshenko. The head of state "outlined their vision of a compromise."

Leonid Kuchma in negotiations in Donetsk

The composition of the delegation is interesting, which is trying to reconcile both sides of the conflict - it is not completely clear who is in it and why these people entered it. The only one who is exactly in its place is the OSCE representative - this organization, including, exists to solve such problems.

The participation of Russia's ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov is also understandable. On the one hand, he confirms the peaceful aspirations of the Kremlin - the Western countries threaten Moscow with new sanctions if it does not show proper zeal in the peace of the East of Ukraine. On the other hand, many in Kyiv, and not only, are sure that separatists exist only by support from Moscow, which sends volunteers and weapons there. Even if this is not so, supporters of such an idea will not see the meaning in negotiations without Moscow, which means its official representative is still necessary.

Leonid Kuchma, the second president of Ukraine, according to journalists, was involved in the negotiations unexpectedly - instead of him, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavel Klimkin was to become a participant in the meeting. Kuchma is difficult to call the sympathetic “orange” moods that are now reigned in Kyiv - the first revolution in the country occurred when he tried to organize the “successor operation” with the transfer of power to Viktor Yanukovych. But no one attributes to the supporters of the separatists Kuchma.

Victor Medvedchuk and Leonid Kuchma

Kuchma was probably the only sovereign president of Ukraine - the heads of state following him were forced to reckon with too much forces. It is worth adding to this that it was under Kuchma that the political careers of many of today's leaders of the state reached the national level. So the second president of Ukraine is quite capable of playing the role of an arbitrator, which, perhaps, is not loved, but they respect enough.

The figure of Viktor Medvedchuk is also interesting, who, according to Jo journalists, participated in the meeting with President Poroshenko and with separatist leaders - that is, is also part of a group of negotiators. Viktor Medvedchuk headed the presidential administration in 2002-2005, in the final stage of the reign of Leonid Kuchma. Then the reputation of the “gray cardinal”, which controls the country and at the same time avoids publicity, was entrenched in him.

Medvedchuk is associated with close relations with President Putin. In 2004, Vladimir Putin and Svetlana Medvedeva, the wife of the current Russian prime minister, were baptized in the Kazan Cathedral of St. Petersburg, the daughter of Viktor Medvedchuk Daria. Thus, the President of Russia is Kuma Medvedchuk.

In 2012, Medvedchuk founded the Ukrainian Choice movement, which actively promoted the ideas of federalization of the country, and also supported the idea of ​​Ukraine entering the Customs Union. Naturally, this did not contribute to the popularity of Medvedchuk among the supporters of the Euromaidan, however, as practice showed, it did not affect its political weight at all.

The non -participation of representatives of the Western powers in negotiations in no case does not mean that in Europe and the United States have lost interest in what was happening in Ukraine. This is evidenced by at least the fact that the main participants in the negotiation process are constantly in touch with the leaders of Western countries.

After the meeting in Donetsk, Petro Poroshenko phoned the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and, as the press service of the head of state reports, told her about the "work of a tripartite contact group in Donetsk with the participation of former President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, a special representative of the current chairman of the OSCE Haydi Taliavini and the Russian Federation Mikhail Zurabov." In response, Merkel promised on June 24 to send Germany Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Kyiv.

After the negotiations, Vladimir Putin “in accordance with the previously reached agreement” contacted Obama's marriage. “Different aspects of the acute domestic political crisis in Ukraine, the prospects for resolving the situation, including the implementation of a peaceful plan nominated by President Peter Poroshenko,” the Kremlin’s press service was discussed . Putin also told his American colleague that he was a supporter of direct negotiations between the Kyiv authorities and separatists.

About how successful the efforts of the negotiators are and how serious the plans of Kyiv and the separatists are to cease fire will be known in a few days. In the meantime, it seems that in the east of Ukraine the shooting really subsided.