© AP Photo/ Andrew
Kravchenko, Pool
18:04 20.08.2015(updated 18:18 20.08.2015)
An upcoming meeting between the leaders of France,
Germany and Ukraine in Berlin, scheduled for August 24, may be aimed at
coercing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko into fulfilling his Minsk II
obligations, Director of the Center of Political and Conflict Studies in Kiev
Mikhail Pogrebinsky claims.
In an interview to EurAsia Daily, Director of the
Center of Political and Conflict Studies in Kiev Mikhail Pogrebinsky
shared his views regarding the upcoming meeting between the leaders
of France, Germany and Ukraine in Berlin.
Pogrebinsky stated that the forthcoming meeting cannot
be classed as a "Normandy" format summit.
"According to Ukraine's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, this meeting is Poroshenko's initiative, and he
invited [German Chancellor] Merkel and [French President] Hollande
to Kiev, but they have not arrived and [therefore] he will go to
[Berlin]," Pogrebinsky elaborated.
"But from my point of view this meeting
was initiated by [Russian President] Putin, Merkel and Hollande. It only makes
sense to hold a summit without Putin… if they aim to exert
pressure on Poroshenko, there can be no other reason," the expert underscored,
adding that, in his opinion, Petro Poroshenko's politically incorrect
verbal attacks against Russia and the Kremlin made him a pariah
in the eyes of the Russian leadership.
© AP PHOTO/ ANDREW KRAVCHENKO, POOL
Pogrebinsky suggested that Putin regards Poroshenko
as Merkel's and Hollande's "headache." Citing European diplomats
whom he met in Kiev, the expert emphasized that the German and the French
leadership have clearly realized that the Ukrainian President is not fulfilling
his obligations under the terms of the Minsk II agreement.
"They [European diplomats] avoid discussing the
issue publicly, but they have raised the question with [Ukrainian]
lawmakers and talked it over with me in private conversations, [that
is why] I understand clearly that they know about it," Pogrebinsky
said.
© SPUTNIK/ VITALIY BELOUSOV
According to the expert, Petro Poroshenko would
try to convince Merkel and Hollande that he cannot meet the Minsk
requirements since he is unable to maintain control over the
situation in Donbass, and in some sense this is not far from the
truth, the Pogrebinsky noted.
The point is that he is not making efforts
to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ukraine, but aggravating
further tensions in the region.
Furthermore, Kiev is currently making preparations
for a serious military campaign, Pogrebinsky underscored.
In light of this, "Merkel's and Holland's
mission will be to stop [Poroshenko] and bring him to his
senses," the expert emphasized.
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