CAN THE MINSK ACCORDS BE IMPLEMENTED?

This question is asked by Myroslava Gongadze in her article published by Voice of America.

My new story about Minsk agreements, M. Gongadze promotes her article on LinkedIn. The so-called Minsk Accords are being promoted – by French President Emmanuel Macron, among others – as the only viable solution to the crisis created by Russia’s military buildup along Ukraine’s borders. But they remain deeply unpopular in Ukraine and are little understood elsewhere.

There were in fact two major agreements negotiated in the Belarus capital, Minsk, the latest coming on February 12, 2015, after Russia’s occupation of Crimea and during a phase of intense fighting in the separatist-controlled Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

The pact, intended to end the fighting and provide a political framework for the return of the separatist-held areas to Ukrainian sovereignty, was signed by representatives from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Russia, Ukraine and the Russian-backed leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR).

It did bring a fragile cease-fire, but seven years later, a new leadership in Kyiv argues that the fulfillment of all its terms is unpalatable and politically impossible.

Ms. Gongadze repeats the mistake most people make by considering Minsk protocols as agreements. This is the very first reason that these protocols can not be implemented as agreements or accords. The rest just follows…