When working on the Minsk agreements, the ex-assistant of the President of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov did not initially proceed from the fact that they should be fulfilled. RBC writes that in an interview with the Russian Center for the Political Conjuncture Alexei Chesnakov, only “yes” and “no”
answered all the questions of Surkov.
“1. A year ago, a week before you began, you predicted that Russia will expand its western borders. You are satisfied with how exactly this is done? – Yes.
2. Do you think the actions of our army are effective? – Yes.
3. Working on the Minsk agreements, did you proceed from the fact that they should be fulfilled? – No.
4. Are relations between Russia and the West in the foreseeable future? – Yes. “
In September 2013, Surkov became the assistant to the president and headed the Cooperation Office with the CIS. With his mediation, the first (in 2014) and the second (in 2015) Minsk agreements were concluded. Surkov left his post in February 2020.
RBC recalls that in an interview with The Financial Times, Surkov called the Minsk agreements the “first legal division of Ukraine” and stated that it was proud of their conclusion: “This was the first geopolitical counterattack from Russia, and so decisive. It was an honor for me” .
The Kremlin commented on this statement by Surkov. In particular, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that the main task was to force Kyiv to fulfill the obligations. “You know how much the Russian side made efforts on the negotiation track. The efforts were spent by fair,” Peskov said, indicating that Vladimir Putin himself participated in many negotiations, also actively discussions on this score Dmitry Kozak and Vladislav Surkov.
“It is better to clarify the details of Surkov what was meant,” Peskov said, responding to a request to comment on the politician’s words that he, as the author of the Minsk agreements, initially proceeded from the fact that they would not be fulfilled.
A spokesman for the President of the Russian Federation added that the “certain pessimism” of the Russian side appeared only at the final stage when the moods of Kiev, Berlin and Paris, trying to change the procedure for fulfilling the points indicated in the agreements, became clear. “At the initial stage, there was no such pessimism,” Peskov says.
He once again noted that Surkov did not give a detailed answer in his interview, so it is better to request additional clarifications from him.