KYIV. April 20 (Interfax) - The severance of diplomatic relations with Russia would be unfeasible for Ukraine, as the lack of diplomatic relations could add complications to the negotiating process on Donbas and would reduce the chances for protecting interests of Ukrainian citizens in Russia, says Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.
"Let's theorize about how this could affect the Trilateral Contact Group's work and the promotion of the Minsk agreements. I assure you: there'll be several surprises prepared for us… No, this is the wrong word, but there'll be some things that would really complicate this work," Klimkin said in an interview with the online publication Evropeyska Pravda (European Truth).
Russia is waging a hybrid war against Ukraine in trying to destabilize the entire country through Donbas, Klimkin said. "And we should find new ways of dealing with it in this new situation. And these are not always such symbolic and emotional steps as the severance of diplomatic relations," Klimkin added.
In addition, there are millions of Ukrainians living in Russia, who need to be helped, Klimkin said. "I didn't even cite the example of Nadiya Savchenko," he said.
As concerns Ukraine's participation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Ukraine does not take part in its work on the political level, Klimkin said. "Neither the president nor the prime minister, or myself ever attend such events," he said.
At the same time, Ukraine still remains a signatory to a number of CIS agreements regulating pension allowances, the recognition of diplomas, and other aspects, he said.
"I agree, and I've always said that the CIS is a political club, Soviet heritage. But if we withdraw from the commonwealth now, the agreements will start crumbling, complicating the lives of thousands and thousands of people. Let's first look into the matter and then take further steps," Klimkin said.
Ukrainian representatives also take part in CIS events when Kyiv needs to secure some decisions, he said.
"At the latest event, we blocked a decision prepared by the Russian side on how, for instance, the OSCE role should be applied, which was certainly against our interests. But since there is a consensus principle in the CIS, we simply stopped it," he said.