"There are no 'disputed' territories between Ukraine and Russia": Foreign Ministry responds to Indonesia's 'peace plan'
Ceasefire without withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine will allow Russia to gain time, Nikolenko emphasizes
There are no disputed territories between Ukraine and Russia to hold referendums there, and long-term peace in Ukraine means liberating the territories from Russian occupation, which is the goal of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky's Peace Formula.
This was stated by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleh Nikolenko, in response to the "peace plan" proposed by the Indonesian government.
"Indonesia is an important country in the Southeast Asian region, which currently holds the presidency of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations – ed.). Last year, President Joko Widodo was the first Asian leader to visit Kyiv to see firsthand the consequences of Russian aggression. We appreciate the attention that Indonesia is paying to restoring peace in Ukraine, having obviously learned from its own history. At the same time, there are no disputed territories between Ukraine and the Russian Federation to hold referendums there," Nikolenko wrote on Facebook.
He emphasized that Russia, having committed an act of aggression, occupied Ukrainian Crimea, parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and the Russian army is committing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the occupied territories.
"Russia must get out of the Ukrainian territories, and Ukraine must restore its territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. There can be no alternative scenarios," the Foreign Ministry said.
In addition, the ministry spokesman noted that "a ceasefire, disengagement of forces to a 15-kilometer distance and the creation of a demilitarized zone will not work either."
"Russia is now trying to disrupt the Ukrainian counteroffensive in every possible way. A ceasefire without the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine will allow Russia to gain time, regroup, gain a foothold in the occupied territories and accumulate forces for a new wave of aggression.
Lasting peace in Ukraine means liberation of Ukrainian territories from Russian occupation. This is what President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky's Peace Formula is aimed at," Nikolenko said.
Earlier, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto proposed a "peace plan" to end the war in Ukraine at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, which provides for "a ceasefire, the creation of a demilitarized zone, when each side withdraws 15 km from its current positions."
In his opinion, the UN should also "organize and hold referendums in the disputed territories to objectively confirm the will of the majority of people."
Background. Meanwhile, Lavrov reportedly failed to persuade the authorities of African Burundi to side with Russia.
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