Ukraine News in brief. Friday 6 October. [Ukrainian sources]

FRIDAY

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
Going too far: Volker made a loud statement about Russia's invasion of Ukraine:  law on the special status of the Donbas is a "hard step" for achieving peace.  NATO supports idea of UN peacekeepers in Donbas and at Russia border.  Aggressor country will never be able to participate in peacekeeping measures.  Donbas bill is clear signal to all citizens in Russia-occupied territories: Ukraine will return to you, and you to Ukraine.  Kremlin: the wording of the law on the de-occupation of the Donbas is unacceptable.  Pro-Russian head of the PACE Agramun resigned.  The Kremlin commented on the crash of a Russian helicopter in Syria.

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The Russian Federation has gone too far with a military presence in Ukraine, so it's difficult to talk about the resumption of US-Russian relations.

This was stated by the special representative of the US State Department in Ukraine Kurt Volker in an interview with the publication gazeta.ru.

According to him, the United States would like to find ways to improve relations with Russia.

"Recently, we had a very bad period, an unpleasant situation with diplomatic missions, and, frankly speaking, the Ukrainian conflict is among the problems. It seems to me that Russia has gone too far with the military presence in Ukraine, the establishment of control over its territories, and today it , indeed, an obstacle to the restoration of US-Russian relations", - said Volker.

He added that this was discussed during a meeting of US President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Hamburg (Germany).

"We would like to resolve the conflict in Ukraine." Regarding the internal debate, you are right that the United States is still very concerned about the situation in Ukraine, with 98 US senators and 419 members of the House of Representatives voting for new sanctions against Russia. in Ukraine, and they want Russian troops to leave eastern Ukraine, and the Minsk agreements have been fulfilled, "said a special representative of the US State Department for Ukraine.

Volker has specified that if the Minsk agreements are fulfilled, it will become the basis for the lifting of sanctions from Russia.

"This is the next stage that we would like to achieve, but it will only happen after the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict," he concluded.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volcker considers the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of the draft law of President Poroshenko of the continuation of the law on the special status of the Donbas " tough steps" for peace.

"Continuation of special status ( Occupied Donbas - ed. ) Shows that Ukraine is making tight steps for peace. Hopefully, now Russia's actions for peace are time to end the conflict, "he wrote.

On October 6, during the meeting, deputies  adopted the bill №7164 on the reintegration of Donbas , which was introduced by the president.

Thus, the Council for a year extended the law on special local self-government in the Donbas, but it will work after the withdrawal of troops of the Russian Federation.

Also, the  Council in its first reading supported the Law No. 7163 of Poroshenko  "On the peculiarities of state policy on ensuring the state sovereignty of Ukraine over temporarily occupied territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in the first reading".

About why there were two presidential bills read:  Under the veil of de-occupation: As Poroshenko and Turchinov achieved the continuation of the  law on the special status of the Donbas.

hromadske.ua  , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

NATO Alliance supports the idea to introduce a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the east of Ukraine throughout the conflict area, including the border with Russia that Ukraine no longer controls.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told Radio Svoboda, Censor.NET reports.

"We welcome all ideas and proposals that can help us implement the Minsk agreement, meaning respect the cease-fire, withdrawal of heavy weapons," he said.

Speaking about a Russian proposal to send United Nations peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine, Stoltenberg said the troops should patrol the whole conflict zone including the border between Russia and the separatist-held parts of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which Kyiv says is used to ship weapons and military personnel in from Russia.

On Sept. 5, Russian President Putin said deployment of U.N. peacekeepers in the Donbas was quite appropriate for solving of the conflict in the region, but only along the line of contact and with the aim of protecting the OSCE mission.

Ukraine's representative in Humanitarian subgroup of the Tripartite contact group in Minsk talks, deputy speaker of Ukrainian parliament Iryna Herashchenko commented on Putin's statement and said the Kremlin scenarios will fail; peacekeepers must be introduced across all Russia-occupied territories.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

If the bill "On special aspects of the state policy aimed at securing the state sovereignty of Ukraine over temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions" is passed by the Ukrainian parliament, Russia will not be able to participate in any peacekeeping missions.

This was stated by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov in the Rada befor the voting on the bill in the first reading, Censor.NET correspondent reports.

The NSDC secretary told the parliament members that the bill #7163 is important now because "Putin wants to cover his aggression under a peacekeeping operation and put blue helmets on the aggressor's horns."

"The aggressor country defined as such under legislation will never be able to participate in any peacekeeping measures," he explained.

Turchynov also responded to speculations around the provisions of the bill.

He said that the issue of Crimea liberation has not been removed from the agenda, and Ukraine continues fighting for the release of its territory.

"If you want to expand this provision in the second reading, I am certain that the Verkhovna Rada will not mind and will support it," the NSDC secretary said.

Turchynov has disproved the statements of alleged danger related to the use of the Armed Forces of Ukraine illegally in peaceful times, saying that the use of the army is limited to the Luhansk and Donetsk regions to liberate the occupied territories.

"Do not speculate around trade: the NSDC has banned trade with occupied areas. This decision cannot be annulled by any military commander or anyone else," Turchynov said.

Turchynov urged the MPs "to forget political conflicts, remember of the country, defend the country, and make a responsible decision by supporting the bill."

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko says the bill #7164 on restoring state sovereignty of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions provides for a peaceful, political and diplomatic way as the best way to settle the situation, and strengthens the position of Ukraine in the matter of a U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Donbas.

Censor.NET reports citing the Presidential Administration.

"The law on de-occupation, the Law on the return of Ukrainian sovereignty to the Donbas brings the legal field into harmony with the real state of affairs. The territories are legally proclaimed temporarily occupied by Russian occupation troops. Ukraine qualifies Russia as an aggressor country. And for ourselves, we record the right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations.

"This further strengthens the legal framework for the use of the Armed Forces, expands their capabilities in the region.

"This strengthens the arguments in favor of giving defensive weapons to Ukraine," Poroshenko said of the bill.

Although the law goes in details into the military aspect of the fighting in the Donbas, the president said, it declares a peaceful, political and diplomatic way as the best way to settle the situation.

"It sends a clear signal to all citizens in Russia-occupied territories: Ukraine will return to you, and you to Ukraine. Because we are a united and indivisible country," Poroshenko said.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in principle and as a whole the bill #7164 "On creation of necessary conditions for peace settlement of the situation in separate areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions" on Oct. 6 with 229 votes. The adoption of the bill means that the Rada has prolonged for another year the law on special order of self-government in separate areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk region, which had to lose force on Oct. 18, 2017. At the same time, an amendment has been proposed stipulating that the special order comes into effect only after Russian troops are withdrawn from the Donbas.

ua.censor.net.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

The spokeswoman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, said that the wording of the Ukrainian bill on the reintegration of the Donbas "is neither de jure nor de facto unacceptable".

It was reported by the federal agency RIA-Novosti.

"There is an article where the Russian Federation is called an aggressor. And also there is no mention of Minsk agreements", - said Peskov.

He noted that such formulations are unacceptable for Russia, in addition - the bills contain legal contradictions.

At the same time, Peskov called the "important" second presidential bill to continue the special status of the Donbas .
"There is another bill, which is already in line with the continuation of the special status of Donbas. This is an important bill. Because the end of the validity period of the previous law on special status, of course, caused all concern, "- he said.

He noted that Russia is maintaining its commitment to Minsk agreements, "as before, considers them to be a non-alternative foundation, on the basis of which, at least, they can continue to try to go out at least on some indications of settlement."

Let's remind, the Council in the first reading supported the law on reintegration or de-occupation of the Donbas . Also, the parliament as a whole supported Poroshenko's law to continue the special status of the Donbas.

About why there were two presidential bills read: Under the veil of de-occupation: As Poroshenko and Turchinov achieved the continuation of the law on the special status of the Donbas.

hromadske.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Pedro Agramun, resigned

This was written on his Facebook page by the head of the delegation of the Ukrainian parliament in PACE Volodymyr Aryev.

He noticed that Agramut, who flew to Syria this year to President Bashar al-Assad on a Russian government plane, had just voluntarily resigned.

"He decided not to wait for the final vote in the Assembly, scheduled for Monday, referring to the state of health. Congratulations to all those involved, this is our joint victory," Ariev said.

Read also: Pedro from the Kremlin. As Russia has exposed its agent in Europe

The information on the resignation of Agramunta has confirmed the PACE website . Vice-President of PACE, Roger Gale automatically became acting president. In accordance with the rules of the Assembly, he will serve as the head of the PACE until the election of a new president.

-On June 27, PACE considered amendments to the regulations that would allow the pro-Russian PACE president to resign against his will. During the review, it turned out that Agramut is absent in the hall, since he went to Spain without warning . 154 of the 197 PACE members present at the PACE were in favor of changes to the Assembly's regulations , which meant that they, in essence, expressed no confidence in Agramont. '

-Agramut declared his own voluntary resignation, but refused to leave his post .

-Beginning from June 28, the duties of the President of the PACE instead of Agramunta are executed by the People's Deputy People's Front Georgy Logvinsky .

espreso.tv , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою

In the Ministry of Defense named the incident with a Russian military helicopter in Syria "emergency landing "

This is reported by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

"The cause of the emergency landing was a technical malfunction, the crew did not suffer, the search and rescue service promptly delivered pilots to the airfield," the report said.

It is noted that the incident occurred in the Syrian province of Ham. Life and health of pilots at the moment does not threaten.

Recall that earlier militants of the terrorist organization "Islamic State" (IDIL) said that in Syria a military helicopter shot down Russia's armed forces.

apostrophe.ua , Original in Ukrainian / Українською мовою