Russian-aligned observers undermining OSCE mission, Klimkin says

The lack of effectiveness of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in the occupied territories of Donbas is the result of numerous observers “working for the Russian Federation,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, according to an Oct. 27 report on the dt.ua news site, citing comments he made in a television interview. “In spite of that, it’s of extreme importance for Ukraine that the mission was present for 24 hours on the territory of Donbas,” he said. The armed conflict will never be resolved if the mission doesn’t achieve full control of the situation, he added.

Zenon Zawada: Just a week ago, Klimkin achieved a road map to implement the Minsk Two accords that calls for the OSCE to take control of the border between occupied Donbas and Russia, as well as monitor the local elections. Now he’s acknowledging that Russian-aligned workers the OSCE are undermining peace efforts. This lends evidence to suspicions that what’s called a Ukrainian “double game” is being played by the president’s diplomatic team in which it’s saying one thing to accommodate Western demands to resolve the conflict, while having entirely other plans in mind.

In this game, the Ukrainians agreed to the OSCE playing a central role in resolving the Donbas conflict. But knowing all the while the significant Russian influence in the mission, the Ukrainians know that ultimately nothing will come of the road map currently being drafted, which is largely being done to create the appearance the serious efforts being made. In essence, the president’s foreign policy team is trying to keep the conflict within reasonable, manageable bounds while trying to placate the unrealistic expectations of the dumbfounded Western diplomacy, as well as thwarting and avoiding Russian attempts to force tactical, fatal mistakes in the talks.