Head of Ukraine's mission to NATO: Russia prevents the deployment of UN peacekeepers to the Donbas
The deployment of UN peacekeeping forces to the conflict zone in the Donbas was blocked by Russia, according to the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the head of the NATO mission to Ukraine, Vadym Prystaiko, Radio Liberty reports.
He stressed that the Ukrainian government is considering additional mechanisms for settling the situation in the Donbas.
"If the Minsk Agreements did not result in peace for three years, maybe there are some additional mechanisms that we must implement, as the Ukrainian government, to ensure peace for our people. That's why we are talking about peacekeeping forces in any format ... The option of arming the OSCE mission (current or new one) with light weapons was discussed, so that they would feel more confident and could visit those places that should be visited. Another option is to deploy [in the Donbas] UN peacekeepers. Of course, we know who is blocking this - the same Russia that is behind the rebels," Prystaiko said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko intends to present the idea of the deployment of peacekeepers to the Donbas at the session of the UN General Assembly in New York in September.