In the situation of ineffectiveness of the Minsk Agreements, Ukraine should seek "any opportunities to move forward" and new formats, but in none of them the Donbas "republics" can be regarded as a party to negotiations.

This "Observer" was told by the ex-Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Igor Romanenko.

Commenting on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's statement that there should be some flexibility in resolving the conflict in the Donbass, the general said: "We see that the Minsk format has not worked effectively in three years, so we must look for new opportunities. I think Ukraine is ready to look for any ways to move forward, and not just follow certain postulates - only in this way and in no other way. Never Say Never. Such an approach will help to implement the changing conditions of ".

At the same time, Romanenko stressed: the issue of the conflict in the Donbass - "this is, in fact, the question of Ukraine and Russia. The rest either help or interfere with ". Proceeding from this, he noted that the so-called republics "can not be legally legalized by involving them in official talks on the Donbass. "Whatever the position of the Russians in this regard, we will not go to a dialogue with the republics.

We remember the experience of Abkhazia, Transnistria, South Ossetia - Russia did not bring anything good for the peoples of these formations.. Ukraine is not going to roll down to these positions, "he said..

As the "Observer" wrote, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated that Ukraine and Russia can find a solution to the conflict in the Donbass with the help of a new agreement different from the Minsk accords.

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