The bride Akhmetov and Boyko
The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has expressed interest in “Medvedchuk’s plan”, involving the creation of separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts administrations (as in Kiev called the territory controlled by DPR and LPR), “which topped the figures acceptable to Kiev and Moscow”, said on Friday the authoritative Ukrainian edition “Mirror of week”. Participating in the Minsk talks Ukraine Viktor Medvedchuk, according to the editorial, suggested the President of Ukraine of possible candidates — Rinat Akhmetov and Yury Boyko. The material States that “nominations to the President liked it, he held preliminary talks with both, and both allegedly agreed”. The mechanism of “embedding” in the leadership of the breakaway people’s republics and Boyko, Akhmetov in the article is not described.
Rinat Akhmetov despite the events in the South-East of Ukraine, where the largest it companies, remains the richest Ukrainian, according to Forbes. Yuriy Boyko when President Viktor Yanukovych was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of energy, and is now the leader of the party “Opposition bloc”, which are popular in the East.
Ukrainian politician Yuriy Boyko. Photo: In “Ukrainian photos”
That such negotiations are underway, heard a presidential member of the faction Block Petro Poroshenko Mustafa Nayem, about what he reported on air of 112 TV channel. The source of the edition “Ukrainian truth” in the administration of the President of Ukraine also confirmed that the administration was holding talks with Akhmetov and smartly negotiated was “the appointment of their leaders occupied territories of Donbass”.
Akhmetov and Boyko did not deny the information on negotiations. “We are consulting with authorities about to help implementerat the Minsk agreements, to stop the conflict and return to Ukraine uncontrolled territory and the people living there. Not only I personally, but also members of the Opposition bloc is ready to participate in a format that will allow you to perform this task,” the statement said Boyko, published his party. Medvedchuk, the situation is not commented.
“The press-service of Rinat Akhmetov, has never commented and will not comment on rumors and speculation. But if you ask what Rinat Akhmetov? Rinat Akhmetov is ready to do anything to stop the war, to stop the suffering of people”, — is spoken in the statement of the press service of the businessman, quoted by “Interfax-Ukraine”.
This scenario is discussed, and for a long time, said the Ukrainian political scientist Vadim Karasev.
Lead or lose
According to Nayem, negotiations with Akhmetov and Boyko was conducted on the organization of elections in Russia will supply Ukraine. Since February of last year the parties have not advanced the development of acceptable for all parties of the electoral legislation, was not done and Amnesty was not put into effect the law on the provision of the now uncontrolled Kiev areas of special status. Kiev politicians have repeatedly stated that they will not accept is the granting of Amnesty to the current leaders of the breakaway republics and the combatants.
However, early elections Western politicians insist. German foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier since the beginning of the new year have repeatedly drawn attention to the need for holding elections and said that the difficult security situation does not justify the lack of progress in the political settlement. Representatives of Kiev indicate that talking about a political settlement will be possible only after a complete ceasefire and the border closure with Russia, which is contrary to the Minsk agreements.
The transition of power from Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky to Akhmetov and Boyko is the most realistic option to resolve the conflict, they are compromise figures, which will satisfy the West, Poroshenko and Putin, believes political scientist Karasev. In his opinion, the issue in this way it is now that the hand pushes the threat that the DPR and LPR can go for a full-fledged state building, which will result in the nationalization of the enterprises not only Akhmetov, but other Ukrainian oligarchs Igor Kolomoysky, Dmitry Firtash.
Akhmetov, according to Karasev, remains popular in the region, it has broad support not only from before the war, but due to the large humanitarian assistance that it supplies to the East. Boyko has extensive contacts in Lugansk.
Nayem reminded that Akhmetov has already been proposed to head the Donetsk region before the start of full-scale hostilities, but he refused. Then the billionaire didn’t want to interfere in politics directly, and now he is facing a choice between losing business or go into power, explains its possible pliancy Karasev.
DPR and LPR against
Although official confirmation of the information no, the idea has already appeared opponents. The DNR and LNR have criticized the proposal. The representative of DND at the talks in Minsk Denis Putilin called the idea “absurd”.
“Poroshenko plans to appoint the head of the Luhansk region the Ukrainian oligarch Yury Boyko is just another nonsense,” — said in turn the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk national Republic Igor Carpenter (quoted by “Interfax”). According to Carpenter, while attempting to cross the border of Ukraine and LNR Boyko will be immediately arrested.
A source familiar with the negotiations in Minsk, suggested that the publication of this proposal, linked to the desire of Ukraine to change the information agenda.
“Such a scenario does not take into account the views of other parties to the conflict, including the fact that the heads of the DPR and LPR are elected during the elections and not appointed figures,” — said “Interfax” a source in the political subgroup of the Contact group on settlement in Ukraine.
Against it and members of the ruling Ukraine coalition. According to the Deputy of the faction “popular front” Andrew Levus, “Medvedchuk’s plan” to resolve the conflict suggests that Medvedchuk, Akhmetov, quickly — have a great credibility in Moscow and, in fact, are the representatives of its interests in Ukraine, and consent to their appointment will be a failure on the part of its own sovereignty and return of Ukraine into the sphere of influence of Russia. In case of appointment of Akhmetov and Boyko areas may actually become a hostage and robbery of a specific political force beyond the control of the Central authorities, said Nayem.
