During the recent Helsinki summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to hold a referendum in the Donbass. Trump asked not to voice this idea at the press conference after the summit so that he had some time to think about it.
Nevertheless, it was reported that Putin suggested holding a referendum on the status of Donbass. Putin’s official spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the information. He only said that Putin and Trump discussed some “new ideas” during their meeting that the sides would have to “work through.”
“They discussed this question. There were certain suggestions made on how to handle this issue,” Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said.
Putin offered Trump to think about such a possibility before publicly announcing it, Bloomberg reports.
Putin’s suggestion about the referendum concerns the status of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. According to the Russian president, residents of the two republics could express their own view on this issue, whereas the vote should be organized under the aegis of the international community, the agency said.
“We talked about Ukraine, there are some new ideas on how to resolve the crisis in the southeast of the country, and we agreed to work it out on an expert level first,” Vladimir Putin said.
During the joint press conference with Donald Trump after the summit, Putin mentioned the referendum, albeit in the Crimea in 2014. Putin said that the Crimea referendum was conducted in strict compliance with the UN Charter and the international law.
“I have to say that I was surprised about the way how Putin formulated the suggestion to Donald Trump. First of all, the referendum had already been conducted. On May 11, 2014, residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions voted “yes” to establishing people’s republics. Secondly, it’s not clear what status exactly he was talking about for those territories and what question people would have to answer at the referendum, if it takes place, of course,” Konstantin Dolgov, Director of the Center for Eurasian Integration told Pravda.Ru.
“Apparently, the accession of the region to Russia is out of the question, at least for now. Therefore, one shall assume that they want people to decide again whether they want to go back to Ukraine or stay independent. If they want to hold the referendum under the auspices of the international community, it means that peacemakers will have to be deployed. Kiev will say no to that if Russia sends its peacemakers in. If they are not Russian peacemakers, then Moscow and the two republics will say no to that,” the expert told Pravda.Ru.
“In a nutshell, it turns out that Putin offered Donald Trump to force Ukraine to implement the Minsk agreements, but the suggestion itself was packed as a referendum. “The West traditionally attaches great importance to human rights, so one can understand Putin here,” Konstantin Dolgov said.
“As for Donbass residents, they will be happy about any type of certainty as they have not seen any of it for five years already. Still, I believe that the return to Ukraine on previous terms looks unrealistic,” he added.
Indeed, the breakaway republics of the Donbass held their referendum in 2014, soon after the Crimean one. However, Moscow turned a blind eye on it for reasons that still prevail even today. What is the Donbass? Who will hold the referendum? Are the authorities of Donetsk and Luhansk republics going to participate in the vote even though they are unrecognized? Who is going to take part in the vote? Will it be arranged only for Donbass residents holding their exclusive passports? What about Ukrainian residents registered in the two regions?
In general, if such a referendum takes place, it would mean that Kiev admits the existence of a highly serious internal problem. Even if they agree, there is another question about the number of voters, i.e. internally displaced people. Russia says that there are about 300,000 of such people, whereas Ukraine says there are two million of them. This is a decisive question for the outcome of the vote.
To crown it all, holding an internationally recognized referendum in the Donbass will raise many questions about the 2014 Crimea referendum, because the procedures of the Crimean vote would contradict to those of the Donbass vote. The pressure on Russia will thus grow considerably. All in all, the Donbass referendum is highly unlikely.
Putin does not exclude war with Ukraine in Donbass
Russian President Putin said that the problem of the military conflict in the east of Ukraine still exists. The crisis in the Donbass may aggravate further, Pain said at the meeting with Russian ambassadors and permanent representatives in foreign countries.
The conflict in the southeast of Ukraine still continues because the Ukrainian government refuses to abode by its obligations, rejects a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and disregards its own people, the president said. According to Putin, Kiev disregards all agreements, shows absolute reluctance to negotiate and plans to solve all problems by force.
Moscow continues to stick to its position as far as the crisis in the Donbass is concerned: the foundation for the settlement of the conflict in the east of Ukraine is the Minsk Accords that must be implemented.
The armed conflict in Ukraine began in April 2014 in the territory of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. The conflict continues to this day.
See more at http://www.pravdareport.com/news/russia/kremlin/19-07-2018/141249-0/?utm_referrer=last_news_list
Pravda.Ru
See more at http://www.pravdareport.com/news/russia/politics/20-07-2018/141257-donbass_referendum-0/
Gordon Duff posted articles on VT from 2008 to 2022. He is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. A disabled veteran, he worked on veterans and POW issues for decades.
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There is a saying : ‘Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true’.
A referendum in Donbass is a splendid idea, as long as the principle applies to other peoples within the area of the former Soviet Union.
We want to see referenda in the area of Caucasus so that all Circassian nations can finally obtain their freedom. Then Tatarstan and the areas of the Far East where ethnic Chinese are the majority.
Now we’ll just have to find a way to force the Russians to be more democratic and allow various ethnic groups to escape from the clutches of ‘Mother Russia’.
The precedent of Donbas referendum will be a mighty persuasive argument.
You have to be really smart if you want to fight wordwide freemasonry (what about Putin himself?).
The two main forces, beeing brought upagainst each other in most western countries, are led by two fractions of the same force. Nobody seems to care and the fights are now more and more openly.
In Western Europe, the climax of this managed clash is slowly reached, they keep on boiling though.
The old masters, which are now threatened, also begin to feel the heat, while Chabad Lubawitch puts its agents in high gear, ask Putin and Trump – they know.
Already in 2016 Putin threw out the Rothschilds out of Russia, they never forget as does their not so much loved Nethhanjahu – Zionism becomes a real burden for the hidden masters. His and Erdogans left time is short. Everybody is waiting and preparing, but only Russia is really prepared for a fight with full awareness of the enemy and the grave consequences.
Meanwhile, Europe is sleeping and fighting mindless battles between its people. Nothing ever really changed but this time will be their last chance. Will they win?
The non vulcanic earth of England already started to tremble, accident? Same (over 700 times) for some sensible parts of the Canary islands, this time a vulcanic hot spot. Japan is also on heavy water and fire, big time, accident?
Israel starts to fight his last big battle (for existence, not – as too many still think – for World Supremacy), while the whole world is completely fed up by their actions, but still keeping calm in knowledge and fear of their international hidden power (the power of their alleged moral superiority, not money).
Rothschild, Rockefeller, Warburg and their bankers minions loose – big time – while Asia acts, they react.
This is the great change we are seeing on a grand scale now. Trump has to adjust to this and he already does. The public fire he gets wordwide is a profound statement for beeing on the loosing side of history.
Daddy Bush’s heart doctor got shot on his bycycle by a strange byker from behind and Rothschilds chiefs have to take more care of their wifes, otherwise they might die early. Strange times, we live in.
Yesterday we watched Box for the absolute championship of all box belts and a Cup of Mohamed Ali. It was in Moscow. Boxers were: ukrainian Alex Usik and russian osset boxer. Usik has won and obviously he was brighter, stronger, better. We all congratulated Alexander Usik and feel joy for his historical win!
But what we hear from our ukrainian friends on comments in facebook – it is better not to say. Mad house and nazi joy.
I think they will understand only a rough power. This is the example. What we can do, if they don’t want. And they hate us…
To act like Israel…. Well, we are not Israel.
Sometimes i want sort of military punishment for Ukraine, but i realize that the price will be high – lost lifes. So many ifs and becauses…
To make a referendum in Donbas… Donbas has no status as it was for Crimea. Both sides won’t get well with each other, untill Bandera followers and maidan-sick nazists are in power in Ukraine.
Garry, to my mind, only a political will can stop this horror. USA may send millions of $ and utilize their shabby strykers, hamvees – all this old garbage to Ukraine. Russia may switch on the “Nord Wind” (as we call the military help to Donbas) and arm the LNR/DNR. It is a way to escalation and more deaths. First of all, the Kiev junta should be removed. Smth like UNO expedition to patrol the buffer zone. But Washington doesn’t want it.
Aha… And “suddenly” the Washington DC gave $200 mln to Kiev for weapons. And in its turn Washington buys light weapons (ak, riffles, etc) in Ukraine. To send it to another hot spot on the map?
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