Blinken's Visit To Kiev Aimed At Escalating Situation In Donbas - LPR Head

LUHANSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2021) The upcoming visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ukraine is aimed at the further escalation of tensions in the Ukrainian conflict-torn region of Donbas, head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) Leonid Pasechnik told Sputnik.

On Thursday, Blinken starts his two-day official visit to Kiev to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

"We would like common sense to prevail. And of course, we want [the United States] to order its subordinates - Zelenskyy and the whole Ukrainian elite - to stop the war in Donbas and active hostilities, to establish peace and settle the conflicts in line with the Minsk agreements, via peaceful means. However, I am sure in the opposite scenario," Pasechnik said.

From his point of view, the peace in Donbas is "not in line with the interests of the United States."

"I think that all the statements, all the decisions that will be made, all instructions that will be given, they will be aimed at the escalation of tensions in Donbas, which will finally .

.. result in the unleash of a military conflict," Pasechnik stressed.

He believes that the United States needs Ukraine to use it as a tool in the struggle with Russia.

"The main beneficiary of this situation is the United States. Washington is undoubtedly the only party that benefits from the war on our territory ... The US political leadership, the so-called overseas sponsors of the Ukrainian political leadership, are permanently pushing Ukraine to unleash the active hostilities in Donbas. I do not remember any investment projects that were implemented in Ukraine [by the US]," Pasechnik added.

Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and proclaimed independence from the country.

A ceasefire deal between warring parties was signed in Minsk a year later following talks brokered by the leaders of the Normandy four states: France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine. Despite this agreement, however, sporadic fighting continues in Donbas.