US special representative for Ukraine Volker and Putin’s aide Surkov to meet in October
US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker will meet with Russian Presidential Advisor Vladislav Surkov again in October.
Volker mentioned this while speaking at the 14th annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) session, organized by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation, LB.ua reported.
“I have visited the conflict line in Adviivka… I hope to go to the city again on the Ukrainian side… As for the other side of the demarcation line, we will need to coordinate with those people – that’s why I met with Mr. Surkov, and will meet with him again in October,” Volker said.
He expressed hope that he would visit the separatist-held territory and that “at some stage Ukrainian sovereignty over this territory will be restored”.
However, the special representative of the US Department of State believes that the very fact that Putin proposed a peacekeeping mission is important, and worth contemplating. “If we can reach the point of discussing an international force to provide security, which will replace the Russian forces, monitor heavy weaponry and control the border, it will be a significant step forward, a basis for implementing the Minsk agreements and restoring territorial integrity,” Volker commented.
According to him, Ukraine should be confident that the peacekeeping mission will facilitate the restoration of its territorial integrity, and will not divide Ukrainian territory.