The USA intend to accelerate the process of implementation of the Minsk agreements. As stated by the Secretary of state Rex Tillerson during his today’s visit to Kiev, to achieve this they intend using the new state Department special envoy for Ukraine, Kurt Volker. He was appointed just a couple of hours before the first meeting of Donald trump and Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit G20. In Russia confirmed that the United States, they agreed to revive the negotiation venue Nuland-Surkov, only now instead of Nuland to hold talks with Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov is Kurt Volker. It is difficult to say, will such a tandem result. In fact, according to the Western press, it is still unclear how trump and Tillerson belong to Russia when it comes to Ukraine. Moreover, the obscure and the procedure for the appointment of Volcker – criticism of the Administration’s trump. New state Department special envoy will stay in Kiev for a couple of days, then go to your first meeting with Surkov in Moscow, and there is a meeting of leaders “Norman Quartet” is not far off.
Date of visit Rex Tillerson in Kiev, as told “Today” the Director of the Institute of world policy Alyona Hetmanczuk, were agreed before the visit of Peter Poroshenko in Washington on 20 June. Contacts with the Ukrainian side, after U.S. negotiations with Russia are considered to be normal practice. “It’s too early in the practice Tillerson, the American state Department and the Administration in General, there were cases when they tried to inform the Ukrainian side about the progress of certain important negotiations with Russia. For example, before and after Tillerson’s visit to Moscow on 11 April at the initiative of the Americans held telephone talks (Poroshenko – Ed.)”, – said Alain Getmanchuk.
Rex Tillerson flew to Ukraine immediately after the two-day G20 summit in Hamburg, where he took part in the first talks Donald trump, Vladimir Putin. His plane landed in Kiev around noon.
After an hour Tillerson met at the entrance to the presidential Administration Petro Poroshenko, after which they immediately went into negotiations. But first, the Secretary of state was found, as stated in the state Department with Ukrainian reformers. Judging by the photo in your Facebook published by the people’s Deputy from BPP Mustafa Nayem, Tillerson talks with the reformers was the head of “Naftogaz” Andrey KOBOLEV, Daria kaleniuk of the anti-corruption action Center and managing partner of Horizon Capital Elena kosharna.
“Rex Tillerson seemed very pragmatic, tough and impressed with the attention to detail. From the Ukrainian side were four representatives on the subject of energy, the reform of law enforcement bodies, the fight against corruption, the economy and investment. All speakers from Ukraine confirmed that for the last three years in many areas, the foundations were laid for reforms. In some areas there are achievements, and this is important and necessary to say. Separately, we spoke of the criticality of the assistance from the United States in the reforms, but pointed to the need for more stringent requirements to the Ukrainian government and the President of the country-specific reforms in specific areas,” he wrote in his Facebook the people’s Deputy from BPP Mustafa Nayem.
Petro Poroshenko with Rex Tillerson behind closed doors spoke more than an hour, and then went to the press. The Ukrainian President said that he looks forward to us assistance in the peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donbass and announced the telephone conversations of leaders of “Norman Quartet” in July. “And we do not exclude that by results of this telephone conversation, we will be able to organize the summit. Not yet determined where he will go, but we are committed to strong, accelerated, practical, specific conversation, in the telephone format, and at the summit this summer”, – said Poroshenko thanked the United States for cooperation in the energy sector, in particular, the issue of preventing the construction of a political project “Nord stream-2”.
Rex Tillerson, in turn, expressed disappointment at the lack of progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements, the United States and appointed state Department special envoy for Ukraine with Kurt Volker. “Now, who will coordinate this activity with the “Norman Quartet” and the Russian government in order to see whether we can accelerate progress. Sanctions against Russia will not be lifted until liberated territory of Ukraine,” – said Tillerson.
“Today” reported that the first meeting of the tramp with Putin on the sidelines of the G20 was the agreement to revive the negotiating channel Nuland-Surkov. Just a couple of hours before the start of talks between the U.S. and Russia, the state Department appointed the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Kurt Volker, a special envoy for the Ukrainian question. And this is despite stiff opposition to the Administration trump personnel appointments at the State Department. According to the analyst of the Institute of world politics Nicholas Belenkova, at least until the end of 2017, Rex Tillerson is not going to appoint deputies and assistants, but according to the special envoy for Ukraine made an exception, that is significant.
“Before the White house wanted to fully control the process of appointment of key persons at the State Department. This piece is considered one of the reasons why the foreign Ministry USA today is poor on key. And then there is the man John McCain, who is not particularly kindly disposed towards the White house from time to time. So I wonder – is part of a larger political game, or is it the destiny of man, who is quite critical of the “Minsk process,” a sign which will continue the course?”, – wrote in his Facebook Nicholas Beleskov.
Anyway, the appointment, Kurt Volker, the state Department’s special representative on the Ukrainian question – a definite plus for Ukraine. Never in the history of the State Department did not have a special representative for Ukraine. Walker is a tough critic of the Kremlin. Moreover, Volker Executive Director McCain Institute, whose name alludes to the well-known lawyer of Ukraine on Capitol hill, Senator John McCain, who continues to defend the idea of granting Ukraine lethal weapons. He will hold talks with Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov, who is called the architect of annexation of Crimea, separatism and the subsequent Russian intervention in the Donbass. Under Barack Obama, Victoria Nuland, which is often met with Surkov held the post of assistant Secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia. Tillerson when it was replaced by a former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, but the coordination of the Ukrainian question in its duties not included.
“But still it remains a mystery how trump and Tillerson belong to Russia when it comes to Ukraine, – quotes the words of a former senior official of the Pentagon on policy of Europe and NATO Jim Townsend Foreign Policy. – What are your orders Volker? What it will have to do.”
The lack of key special representatives and assistants at the State Department always rebuked the team’s trump. After all, only 5 months after the inauguration, the state Department appeared responsible for the Ukrainian direction of the official. As predicted Alain Getmanchuk, in the United States will remain consistent in foreign policy, as under Barack Obama: the US will cooperate with Russia where we can cooperate, and confrontati where you can confrontati. Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst said Today that Rex Tillerson is responsible for the management of the crisis in Ukraine by Moscow’s aggression in the Donbas. And special envoy Kurt Volker, who, along with Tillerson came to Ukraine and staying here for a couple of days, according to Poroshenko, “to coordinate further cooperation,” another proof. Then Walker will go to Moscow, where for the first time to meet with Vladislav Surkov on the eve of the telephone conversations of leaders of “Norman Quartet.” The agenda will prevail bezopasnostyu questions.
“If Moscow wants to once again miss the chance, she should accept the logic, which is shared by all other participants of the Normandy format. The first is a long-lasting, reliable cease-fire. The second is the withdrawal of all occupation troops from the Ukrainian territory. The third is the cessation of intimidation of international observers. Fourth – providing a reliable control of the international forces of uncontrolled section of the Ukrainian-Russian border and the line of contact. And fifth, finally, is the release of all hostages and illegally held as in the occupied territories and in Russian prisons”, – said Petro Poroshenko.
