MOSCOW (Sputnik) – On Monday, The Washington Post media outlet reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump wanted to restart the Ukrainian peace process as part of efforts aimed at improving relations with Russia.
“We are not against more active dialogue with the new US administration on the settlement of the situation in southeastern Ukraine. Moreover, the Russian party has recently said several times that when Washington appoints a new official responsible for the issue – earlier that was [former] Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Victoria Nuland – we will be ready for substantial discussion of all emerging problems,” Ryabkov said.
The diplomat pointed out that the possible Russian-US dialogue could substitute neither the US-Ukrainian dialogue nor the Normandy Four format, which includes Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.
“The problem with implementing the Minsk agreements is linked to the behavior of Kiev authorities, who are unambiguously conducting a policy aimed at disruption and revision [of the accords],” Ryabkov said.
Russian-US relations deteriorated in 2014 following the eruption of the Ukrainian crisis and Crimea’s rejoining with Russia. The United States and its allies introduced sanctions against Russia over its alleged interference in the Ukrainian internal affairs, while Russia denied all the allegations.
On May 24, Trump reiterated in a meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni the United States' determination to maintain transatlantic accord for holding Russia responsible for the situation in Donbass region.
In February 2015, Kiev forces and Donbass independence supporters signed a peace agreement in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in Donbass, as well as constitutional reforms that would give a special status to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Despite the agreement brokered by the Normandy Four states (Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine), the ceasefire regime is regularly violated, with both sides accusing each other of multiple breaches, undermining the terms of the accord.
