Volker: West willing to help Russia find easy way to withdraw from Ukraine
US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker told the Ukrainian TV channel 1+1 that Russia is achieving the exact opposite of what it had hoped by continuing its occupation and war in eastern Ukraine.
Volker emphasized that the members of the Normandy Format and the US are willing to help Russia find an “easy way” to withdraw from the occupied Ukrainian territories.
“I think that there are reasons why Russia should withdraw from the Donbas. They are actually not interested in keeping the Donbas. They are only playing shamelessly with human lives in order to influence Kyiv and keep Ukraine under Russian influence. It’s a mistake. Ukraine is stronger, more democratic, more flourishing, more anti-Russia and pro-West than ever before. In this way, Russia is getting the exact opposite result to what it wants to achieve by continuing the occupation and war in the Donbas. It’s a reason why Russia should want to put an end to it,” Volker said.
“We, the French, the Germans and the Ukrainians are willing to help Russia to find an easy way to withdraw and restore peace in the occupied territories, when Russia is ready to do so,” the US special representative added.
On September 14, Volker said that he was ready to meet with Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov ahead of the Normandy Format summit. He also said that if Russia complies with the Minsk agreements, the US could consider lifting the related sanctions.