Zelensky’s decision to let foreign troops into Ukraine violates Minsk accords — LPR

On November 29, Rodion Miroshnik, representing the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) in the Contact Group on Eastern Ukraine, criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for contravening the Minsk-2 agreement. Miroshnik's comments came in response to Zelensky's request to Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, to authorize the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine for international military exercises in 2022.

Miroshnik highlighted that the Minsk-2 agreement, part of the Package of Measures for resolving the conflict in Donbass, mandates the withdrawal rather than the deployment of foreign military forces in Ukraine. This directive, outlined in Article 10 of the agreement, calls for the removal of all foreign armed units, military hardware, and mercenaries under the supervision of the OSCE. He noted that Zelensky had reaffirmed his commitment to these terms during the Normandy Four summit (involving Germany, France, Ukraine, and Russia) in Paris on December 9, 2019.

The Minsk-2 agreement, signed by the Trilateral Contact Group (including representatives from Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE) on February 12, 2015, follows prolonged negotiations between the leaders of the Normandy Four nations. This 13-point document sets out a ceasefire between Ukrainian government forces and militias in the self-declared republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, along with a withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the contact line. It also outlines a comprehensive plan for a lasting resolution in Ukraine, encompassing amnesty, prisoner exchanges, economic reconnection, local elections, and constitutional reforms for greater autonomy in the eastern regions.

Despite these agreements, the plan remains largely unimplemented, primarily due to Ukraine's position. Kiev has been hesitant to engage in direct talks with the Donbass republics, reluctant to amend its constitution to acknowledge Donbass' special status, and insists on regaining control over its border with Russia, a step intended to follow the implementation of the agreement's political aspects.