Lviv – The restoration of control over Donetsk and Luhansk regions will take years, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said.
“It will take years to regain control over Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The restoration of Donetsk and Luhansk regions will also take year,” Yatsenyuk said at a meeting with students in Lviv on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
According to him, the authorities will be able to resolve this issue when there will be economical stability in the country and when reforms will be held.
“Our task is to live through the winter and complete the reforms, and not to give a chance to splitting the country. When we go through this stage, we will become stronger, and then we will return control of the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. When this will happen? I’ll be frank with you, not tomorrow, it’s not in a short-term prospect, including because of the existing enormous mental trauma among those who stayed there, and those who are now fighting for our independence,” the prime minister said.
Yatsenyuk said Ukraine was likely to get “a long-term frozen conflict” in Donbas.
“In Donbas we will get a long-term frozen conflict. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wants to have a sort of Transndniestria or Abkhazia there. He understands that the war hits the economy, income and budget of every family,” the prime minister said.
As for the resumption of control over Crimea, it will be very difficult to do under the current Russian authorities, Yatsenyuk said.
