Ukraine Wants Swift Resolution, Not Frozen Conflict, Says Security Adviser
Merle Maigre, security adviser to President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, said today's meeting between the Customs Union, led by Russia, the EU and Ukraine could prove to be fruitless.
Maigre told ERR radio today that the meeting is odd, as it is officially a meeting of Custom Union heads, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, high EU officials, including three commissioners, and Ukraine, represented by President Petro Poroshenko.
“If the West has elevated hopes of finding a solution to the conflict at the meeting then I remain skeptical as Putin has not expressed a wish to discuss the conflict in Minsk,” she said.
Poroshenko asked high EU officials to take part and he is hoping for a diplomatic solution, Maigre said.
Ukraine has demanded Russia close its borders as one condition for a solution, something according to Maigre Putin is unwilling to do, yet Ukraine also does not want a ceasefire, as it does not want a prolonged frozen conflict on its territory.