#Official Commentary of Elena Melnik on what could push Ukraine to resume work of economic subgroup in Minsk
Within six months, representatives of Kiev at the Minsk negotiations have been sabotaging dialogue on economic issues, presenting flimsy claims concerning the members of the economic subgroup from the Donetsk People’s Republic.
They did not care about the problem of non-payment of pensions, disaster with water due to infrastructure damaged by AFU bombardments, the threat of flooding of mines and many other problems caused by the war and blockade on the part of Ukraine. All these issues were to be the subject of negotiations in the economic subgroup. Alas, no Republics’ problems made them even begin a dialogue. And suddenly – an unexpected progress! After 10 ignored meetings the economic subgroup as if nothing had happened resumed work.
What prompted the Ukrainian negotiators to forget about their former, aimed at sabotaging, positions? The upcoming energy disaster in Ukraine. Overlapping by nationalist battalions of rail links make it impossible to supply coal to the power station of the ‘independent’ from the territories of the Republics. In Ukraine, the state of emergency has been imposed, rolling blackouts of electricity throughout the country are being prepared. Impending darkness, oddly enough, has made the enlightenment in the heads of Ukrainian negotiators, and they, having suddenly appreciated the opportunities of the Minsk process, started the dialogue.
A boomerang, launched by Ukraine with the introduction of Donbass blockade, inevitably returns and brings with it devastating consequences. Ordinary Ukrainians again will have to pay for short-sighted solutions of Kiev politicians. I hope that with the resumption of the dialogue in the economic subgroup the real work will resume as well.
Elena Melnik, the DPR People’s Council deputy