MOSCOW, April 17 (RIA Novosti) – Russia and Ukraine have grounds for dialogue, Russian political scientists said after analyzing President Vladimir Putin’s comments during a live question and answer session with the public on Thursday.
“These words give hope that dialogue is still possible,” Alexei Makarkin, an analyst and deputy director at the Center for Political Technologies in Moscow said. “Geneva is probably one of the last chances to find some kind of mutual understanding,” he added.
Putin said Thursday he is sure that Russia and Ukraine will be able to find an understanding in their mutual relations.
"We are all under the oppression of certain emotions, but if we love one another and respect each other, then we must find a way to understand each other. I think that within a family it’s easier to do than between governments, but even within government relations, I'm sure that we’ll find a mutual understanding with Ukraine and that we will never part," Putin said.
Nikolai Mironov, General Director of the Institute of Priority Regional Projects, expressed hope that Ukraine and the international community would heed Putin’s call. Yet the expert noted that a number of factors might prevent the West and Kiev from tuning in to what Moscow says.
“First of all, the Kiev authorities are extremely anti-Russian,” Mironov said. “And given their actions, it is highly unlikely that they are hearing Russia’s calls,” he said, adding that Western governments promote their national interests even while their populations feel differently.
Moreover, Moscow tries to differentiate between the notions of “Ukrainian authorities” and a “Ukrainian state,” Makarkin believes.
“The Russian President distinguishes between Ukraine as a country and Ukraine’s authorities,” Makarkin said. “On the one hand, Ukraine is a country with close historical ties with Russia and Putin says he has nothing against it and that Russia still respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and people,” he told RIA Novosti. “On the other hand, there is a strong negative attitude towards the current authorities,” Makarkin added.
Russia insists on a deep and transparent constitutional reform in Ukraine involving all political and regional interests, especially in light of the pro-federalization rallies which have intensified in the eastern regions.
Moscow is also hoping for a successful outcome from Thursday’s talks in Geneva, attended by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Ukraine’s acting Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Moscow has called on the authorities in Kiev to respect the interests of all ethnic groups in the country, and acknowledge that Russians have the same rights as Ukrainians, in particular, the right to use their language, which has faced restrictions in the country.
Eastern Ukraine, which has a large proportion of Russian speakers, has been swept by rallies supporting federalization since last month.
