Volker: Russia has two options in the Donbas: frozen conflict or troop withdrawal
US Department of State Special representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker has said that Russia has two options for action in the Donbas, but denies the possibility of the situation transforming into a long-term conflict.
Volker said this during a briefing at the US Department of State, reports Voice of America.
"Look, I think it’s a binary choice for Russia. Would it like to create another frozen conflict, occupied territory, like Abkhazia or South Ossetia or Transdniestria, which…carries with it very high costs, but [is] doable. If they want to, they will," - Volker said.
"The alternative is for Russia to withdraw and facilitate a deployment of a UN peacekeeping force which creates peace for everybody and allows Minsk implementation to go forward. That would be the other scenario," Volker stressed.
The US Special Representative denied the possibility of the situation transforming into a protracted conflict.
" I don’t think [the international community] wants a Cyprus solution," he said, "I don’t know how many years we’ve been peacekeeping in Cyprus now, and I don’t think Ukraine wants that. They obviously want to restore the territory to Ukrainian sovereignty, and as a result, they have a high incentive to get on with implementing the Minsk agreements."
Special Representative Volker has said that Russia should withdraw its forces from the Donbas so that UN peacekeepers could enter the territory.