It is a waste to dispose numerous troops at the border with Ukraine; and presence of vast number of Russian army in Belarus disrupts our relations with Ukraine.

Next round of negotiations scheduled for December 9 in Minks between Kyiv and militants didn’t take place — the militants disrupted the meeting. A new date is not set yet; and OSCE contact group expressed its concern with non-readiness of “representatives of some districts in Donetsk and Luhansk regions” to negotiate on ceasefire in Donbas.

Meanwhile, the gunmen are actively firing at the positions of the Ukrainian army in four directions. Only on the 10^th December 3 Ukrainian militants were killed and 10 were injured. In this situation we have nothing to discuss with the gunmen, the Ukrainian political expert Serhiy Datsyuk assumes.

— If both Ukraine and the militants have interest in negotiation, why it has been disrupted?

— The reason for that is simple: agreements only mean something when there is silence. If the fire continues and the gunmen are unable to control their territory — we have nothing to talk about.

The former round of negotiations demonstrated that the so-called governments of DPR and LPR don’t control their own territory; instead, uncoordinated groups of militants who cannot agree between themselves act there. What negotiations can we speak about before there is a single centre we can talk with?

Unless single centre appears we will resolve the problem using other means.

— What other means does Ukraine have at its disposal?

— We will act as we used to do back in 1941 during the Great Patriotic War — to freeze. One only wants to fight when it’s warm and when humanitarian aid from Russia comes, but when it’s cold and there’s nothing to eat, then no one is up to war.

— Minsk negotiations resemble a game without rules, the main result of which is not the resolution of the problem, but a waste of time. What goals does the official Kyiv have, and what the militants are trying to reach upon declaring their intention for the second round of negotiations?

— On the contrary, the militants are demonstrating that they are not ready for negotiations, no matter whether it is Kremlin that is unable to control them or they cannot agree between themselves. The militants are not ready for negotiations. And we will use economic methods; we will organize economic blockage.

— By the way, the gunmen expressed the wish to talk about cessation of Donbas’ economic blockage and about return to Donbas’ special status.

— It is unclear what kind of wish it is. When there is fire, what wishes can we talk about? As soon as fire stops — we will talk.

— Can we consider the format of Minsk negotiations successful? All the previous agreements were unfulfilled. Is there any sense to continue negotiations that bring no results?

— The question is not about the format, but about whether there is sense to continue negotiations if we have no one to negotiate with. The so-called DPR’s and LPR’s governments are dependent and puppet; moreover, they are not controlling their own territory. With whom and about what can we talk then?

— What role does Kremlin give to Minsk negotiations in its plans for Ukraine?

— I don’t know, and, frankly speaking, I’m not interested. The latest Putin’s address to the Federal Assembly proves his complete inadequacy – the same revanchist project “military coup d’état in Kyiv”, “sacral importance of Crimea”. However, this time he didn’t mention “Novorussia”. His revanchist rhetoric didn’t disappear, and it proves his inadequacy.

— The only person who receives dividends from Minsk negotiations is, perhaps, Lukashenko, whom most of the Belarusans now see as a peacemaker. What bonuses from the Minsk negotiations will he get at the international arena?

— Do you know that now Belarus’ annexation is a serious debate in Ukraine? Ask how numerous are Russian troops disposed in Belarus. It is a waste to keep numerous troops at the border with Ukraine, whereas the presence of infinite Russian army proves there are certain agreements between Lukashenko and Putin that are concealed from the public. By allowing Russian army at its territory, Belarus is disrupting its relations with Ukraine.

— In your opinion, when are negotiations possible and with what agenda?

— The negotiations might take place when “the governments of LPR and DPR” will take their territory under control and cease the fire.

As to the agenda, it remains the same: to define the status of the occupied territory and to think of what we are to do next.