Dmytro Yarosh: Agreements between Putin and Poroshenko. Do they really exist?

After the first Minsk "agreements" the media constantly spreads information about the secret pact between Poroshenko and Putin to the official Minsk agreements that includes the assured additional conditions regarding the stabilization of situation in the East of Ukraine.

The reason for circulation of this information is because of a speech by Mr. John Kerry, the United States Secretary of State, in Paris after the talks with Mr. Lavrov, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was said in Mr. Kerry's statement that "the presidents additionally agreed on some timelines on these or that actions" for the implementation of the articles of the Minsk agreements.

This speech was made last fall, but since that time the politicians and analysts frequently refer to it in their conclusions and statements.

Let's try to find out, if this "agreement" really does exist, or if we deal with more input from the media.

These words of John Kerry are the answers to the journalist's questions, dated October 14, 2014 after the Minsk agreements-1. At first sight, the words are very simple. It is true, that the presidents privately discussed between each other the final terms, but the fact, that this statement was pronounced by the Secretary of State, can't be left out of consideration. Could he refrain from emphasizing that there is not one agreement made in reality but there are two Minsk agreements? Of course, he could. He realized that every single word coming from him would be checked under the microscope and would have the consequence. He could say differently, but instead he pronounced this statement the way we know, and it is a top subject for more than half a year.

Whom are these words addressed to? In the first instance, they can be considered as the warning to those forces in Ukraine, which are against any agreements with the aggressor, except the agreement of its capitulation. Probably, at that moment the United States was not satisfied with its position in stabilizing the situation in Ukraine and played according to its own scenario. Furthermore, seeing recently how Victoria Nuland makes the last efforts in pushing on changes to the Constitution in the Ukrainian Parliament, that will legalize "a special status" of the Luhansk and Donetsk Regions; we can also conclude that the United States has changed its point of view as to the measures on stabilizing the Ukrainian conflict.

During the talks with the journalists on July 15 and 16 this year Mrs. Victoria has repeatedly emphasized on executing the obligations by Ukraine as to "the decentralization and special status" that were made in Minsk. Same time the Assistant of Mr. Kerry technically avoids the direct answer to a question, if this uncompromised position of America regarding "the special status" is connected to Russia's deed in solving the Iranian issue; or later she changes completely the topic of discussion, when someone asks, what exactly she did to influence and achieve the positive voting results as to the changes in the Constitution. As well we should pay attention to the official statement of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lavrov, who said on May 12, June 23 and June 30, that Ukraine must comply with the Minsk agreements. On June 23 he also spoke out about some certain forces that exist and prevent stabilization of the situation according to "the Minsk agreements".

And now let's look at the other fact: the Minsk agreements 1 and 2 are not fulfilled as to the exchange of prisoners, withdrawing the heavy weapons, restoring the control of the state border.

Since the very beginning the parties pronounced the unrealistic timelines as to the releasing the hostages and withdrawing the heavy weapons. Adding "extra structures" to the process of stabilization, that look like the working groups of four directions and coordinating center on ceasefire, doesn't also have anything in common with a wish to reach consensus. Every additional institution brings more bureaucracy and makes the communication difficult. As a result, our Armed Forces, being under fire, can't shoot back until the permission is received after going through the difficult procedure.

If at the very beginning it was clear, that the Minsk agreements are impossible to implement, then what kind of agreements do the Russians, Europeans and Americans constantly demand Ukraine to comply with? More likely, there are the different agreements, but not those having been announced to us from the government stand.

Even after pushing on Parliament to make such important changes to the Constitution, as a matter of fact they are treacherous and anti-Ukrainian, being packed into the wrapper of European integration, and we still do not see even a single step forward from Russia. On the contrary, the appetites of the invaders are growing, like yeast, and they are constantly expanding.

As we do not see any concrete or even symbolic steps from the aggressor, it means that its real demands, being pronounced and accepted during the secret talks and meetings, are not yet fulfilled.

What are these demands?

Indeed, the Ukrainian government from its side has already withdrawn from conducting the military actions and from using the heavy weapons; there is a lack of sufficient reforms in the Armed Forces; it has started the Constitutional process, that will give in time legal status to the occupied territories; it emblematically addresses the issue about returning the Crimea on the world level; it didn't even start to impose the sanctions against the country-aggressor; it slows down all progressive reforms; it supports corruption and with all efforts tries to restore the old oligarch criminal system. The government is actively engaged in propaganda of myth that only "these Minsk agreements" can bring back peace to us, and it begins to conduct the unprecedented campaign of destroying people, who strive to defend their Motherland.

That is what the Ukrainian government does, but not the Ukrainian people. The necessity to take the people in hand is in fact a subject of all secret agreements between Putin, Poroshenko, the Europeans and Americans. The quintessential soul of freedom and efforts of the Ukrainian people are reflected in the volunteers’ movements, and only the Ukrainian people's will can prevent the treachery of the government interests, as well as loss of sovereignty and territories.

Dmytro Yarosh about John Kerry's speech