Kuchma concludes involvement in Minsk peace talks

Former Ukrainian
President Leonid Kuchma attended his last meeting of the Trilateral Contact
Group in Minsk on Oct. 2. his spokeswoman announced that day, concluding his
involvement as Ukraine’s lead representative in the talks to resolve the armed
conflict in Donbas. In a Sept. 28 press conference, Kuchma cited his exhaustion
from his lengthy involvement in the talks, having attended close to 100
meetings, as well as his recent 80th birthday. “The talks there are too
difficult,” he said, adding that he approached the meetings knowing
serious progress would not be made.

Kuchma has been
involved in the Trilateral Contact Group to resolve the armed conflict in
Donbas since its launch in June 2014. In recent months, Boris Gryzlov has been
the lead representative for Russia and Martin Sajdik has represented the OSCE.

Zenon Zawada: Kuchma
was as good a negotiator as anyone at the Trilateral Contact Group talks and we
don’t expect any progess with a new Ukraine representative. As Kuchma himself
pointed out at his Sept. 28 press conference, the Russians have consistently
gone in the talks with “prepared responses” and a predetermined
agenda. We can’t be sure of Kuchma’s replacement, but leading Ukraine at the
Trilateral Contact Group talks offers a high-profile opportunity for an
ambitious politician.