Special representatives of the U.S. State Department on Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker has said that Ukraine will be at a disadvantage if it does not prolong the law on the special status of Donbas, Voice of America has reported.
I do not see any harm in extending of the law. Nothing will change from today and till the day the law is extended. I do not see any harm in this. However, Russia will use the suspension of the law as a reason to accuse Ukraine of non-compliance with the Minsk agreements. So, do not give Russia this argument. The continuation of the law will not really change anything, Volker said in an interview with Voice of America.
He also noted that the Russian Federation did nothing to end the conflict in Donbas.
I understand the disappointment of Ukrainian legislators and society. They took the necessary steps, such as the adoption of this law on the special status and the amnesty law, but Russia did nothing to end the conflict and withdraw troops, Volker said.
Also, the U.S. Special Representative stressed that the conditions for the operation of the law will appear only after the withdrawal of their military groups from the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Currently, there is no special status. It will work only when certain agreements are reached, when Russia withdraws troops and local elections are held, he added.
