Kiev says ready for dialogue with Ukraine’s federalization supporters

The Kiev authorities are ready to hold a peaceful dialogue with federalization supporters in Ukraine’s south-east in order to reconcile the conflict and avoid further victims. Deputy Secretary of Ukraine’s Council for National Security and Defense Viktoria Syumar made this statement on Thursday.

“Everyone is tired of war: both law enforcers and civilians. Therefore, where it is possible to solve the conflict through a dialogue, the Ukrainian authorities are ready to do this,” she is quoted as saying by Ukraine’s UNIAN news agency.

On Wednesday, the Donetsk Regional Council addressed the Kiev authorities urging to stop the military operation and to immediately withdraw units of Ukrainian army to bases. The statement issued by the council’s panel emphasizes that “the operation started upon the state authorities’ decision in the north of Donets region has already led to multiple victims among civilians”.

Russia supports direct dialogue between Kiev authorities and Ukraine's south-east

May 7, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin addressed Kiev officials urging them “to immediately stop all military and punitive operations in Ukraine’s South-East”, which, as he said, are “not a secure way to solve all domestic political disputes”, but, on the contrary, only contribute to the split.

Putin added that Russia is interested in the speediest possible settlement in Ukraine that would take into account the interests of all citizens no matter where they live.“We are asking representative of the South-East of Ukraine, the supporters of federalization to postpone the referendum slated for May 11 in order to create proper conditions for this dialogue,” he said after talks with Swiss President and Chairperson-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Didier Burkhalter on Wednesday.

“Russia believes that the crisis that has broken out in Ukraine and is actively evolving by the worst possible scenario is to be blamed on those who organised the state coup in Kiev,” the president noted. He stressed that the masterminds and perpetrators of the coup had not bothered to disarm far-right and nationalist elements in the country.

OSCE's roadmap

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will propose a roadmap on the resolution of the Ukrainian crisis in the nearest time, Swiss President and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter said after talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Key provisions of the roadmap were discussed in Vienna on Tuesday, May 6, and can be stated as follows: ceasefire, de-escalation of tensions, dialogue, and elections.

The OSCE chief said his organisation was prepared to coordinate the implementation of the proposed plan. To this end, he will go to Brussels tonight and maintain close contact with the United Nations and the United States.