All government representatives should be present at negotiations with US, not just Yermak and Umerov, who were not elected by anyone, - Kostenko
Representatives of parliament must definitely be included in the negotiating delegation with the United States.
This was stated by Roman Kostenko, a member of parliament from the "Voice" party and secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence, according to Censor.NET's article.
Kostenko recalled that the Trump administration was not fully aware of the "peace plan".
"There is widespread information that Trump did not know what exactly was in those points, and Rubio initially could not answer Congressmen, but who wrote them? That is, both we and even the Americans did not fully understand where this document came from, but went to discuss it," he said.
At the same time, Kostenko does not understand who set the agenda for the Ukrainian delegation and who formed its composition.
"Why are there no members of parliament – the legislative branch of government? The head of the President's Office, the head of the NSDC, and representatives of the government went, but not ministers, when there is the Verkhovna Rada and the heads of ministries.
What did they agree on there? I, for example, do not know. Nor do I know what Ukraine's position is. And when, following the negotiations, they say, ‘We have removed half of the anti-Ukrainian clauses,’ I wonder what exactly they are talking about. There are no specifics. Show us! Let's talk about it so that everyone is informed about what is happening," he said.
The MP believes that if there is an agreement with the US to hold negotiations behind closed doors, then representatives of the entire Ukrainian government should be present.
"Ultimately, it will be up to parliament to vote on the final document. If, after the recent corruption scandals, they bring us something else that is questionable, there will be a lot of discussion. I'm not sure that even the 'servants' will vote in such circumstances.
Therefore, either the speaker or another representative of the Verkhovna Rada must definitely be at the negotiating table. Because no one elected the head of the Office or the secretary of the NSDC. Moreover, there has been information in the press that they may be on NABU tapes. Personally, I have no trust in this negotiating group," he concluded.
Peace plan
- On Sunday, 23 November, negotiations between the Ukrainian and US delegations began in Geneva on a peace plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
- Earlier it was reported that the Ukrainian delegation had already held meetings with EU advisers in Geneva.
- Later, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the first results of the negotiations taking place in Geneva with the participation of delegations from the US, Ukraine, the EU and the UK on the American plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
- NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov reported that the current version of the US peace plan to end Russia's war against Ukraine is in the final stages of approval and already reflects most of Ukraine's key priorities.
- Following the talks in Geneva on Sunday, 23 November, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the Washington team would make "some changes" to the American peace plan.
