NV Magazine asked famous compatriots if they consider it possible to jointly patrol the eastern border of Ukraine with representatives and residents of the so-called “L / DPR” .

The editors asked this question after President Vladimir Zelensky suggested organizing joint border patrols in the Donbas with the participation of representatives of the Armed Forces, the OSCE and “local communities” during the preparation for the local elections.

Anatoly Amelin, co-founder, director of economic programs of the analytical center Ukrainian Institute of the Future:

Nothing will help resolve the conflict until its main instigator, the Kremlin, is not interested. After all, the goal of Moscow is not to end the conflict, but to control Ukraine, its agenda and political decisions.

And the so-called conflict will be terminated as soon as Moscow receives other tools to achieve its goals. Is it in the interests of Ukraine and Ukrainians? The answer is obvious.

Igor Zakharenko, general director of the travel agency Feeriya:

Zelensky, after all, was talking about the Croatian version. It’s only if he knew the story or wondered how it really was. There was a UN transitional administration, that is, UN police. And before that, with the help of the UN, Croatia took control of the border, which was closed to the supply of arms and troops from Serbia / Russia.

All Serbian-Russian troops were also withdrawn there, the border was closed, all gangs were disarmed, weapons were seized from the population, and much more.

But in general, the Croatian scenario is the road to Europe, to NATO, the accumulation of forces, Operation Storm and the liberation of their territories.

Leonid Ostaltsev, owner of VeteranoPizza, founder of VeteranoGroup:

That’s bullshit. A stupid, bad, thoughtless decision, which can lead to very sad consequences.

I do not consider it possible any coexistence with terrorists. If we do not say that these people should answer for what they did, get their prison sentences for betraying their country, for killing the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and our other military and volunteer groups.

Control of our eastern border should be carried out exclusively by the forces of the Armed Forces. I’m not even sure about the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Therefore, at the border should be exclusively APU and our border guards.

Unfortunately, I am again convinced that Vladimir Zelensky lives in some kind of parallel reality and in another universe. Flirting with your electorate will end badly for the country.

Oleg Pokalchuk, social psychologist:

Zelensky deliberately proposed a deliberately unacceptable option, not the Croatian one. Therefore, I do not see any cause for concern here.

Oleg Tistol, artist:

Of course not. In general, it seems to me that all such confused statements should be treated as a KVN war with the KGB. This is a purely Russian technique, such as conducting all kinds of negotiations and throwing a variety of impossible topics to occupy the enemy with something.

And as I see it, so far the KVN has beaten the KGB with a score of 3: 0. Because the kaveanschik is much more dodgy than the KGB man.

Enrique Menendez, head of the analytical center Donbass Institute of Regional Policy:

Joint patrolling of the border is one of the elements of the big picture of the conflict settlement. In itself, of course, it is not able to solve all the problems, but as part of a comprehensive plan it can be.

Another issue is that a comprehensive solution will require significant progress in the political part of the Minsk agreements, which is hard to imagine for now. And we have not yet seen the plan itself.

Even elections in uncontrolled territory are just an element of the big picture. What will be the special status? What about the amnesty? What is the future of relations with Russia? All these are questions for which there is no answer yet.

I think that Ukraine needs a great national dialogue. I hope that soon we will see working initiatives, and not just for show.

I am now much more concerned about whether the controlled parts of Donetsk and Lugansk regions will be given the opportunity to choose regional councils that have not been working since 2014 during local elections? This can be an important platform for resolving the conflict in the Donbass.

Elena Belozerskaya, officer of the Armed forces of Ukraine, blogger:

I think this initiative will not be implemented. Like many other previous and future initiatives that the active minority does not agree to. Both post-maidan authorities fear the latter like fire.

In general, any joint actions with the invaders and collaborators, except for the exchange of prisoners, and any negotiations with them, except for negotiations on their surrender, are contrary to the state interests of Ukraine.

Irina Bekeshkina, sociologist, director of the Democratic Initiatives Fund:

It’s impossible. If the temporary occupation of the territory from the Russian presence and the disarmament of the militants really happened, then this would be possible as some kind of compromise. But this will not happen. Incidentally, I do not really believe that the elections will be held there.

I think that all this is necessary only to show our good intentions, that we want peace, harmony, compromise.

I have repeatedly heard from my foreign colleagues about the Croatian option offered to us. Like, they found a common language with the Serbs there. Well, one thing is two nations: Serbs and Croats, and another thing is that in Ukraine the conflict is of a completely different nature. We have no Serbs and Croats. And if Russia leaves the occupied territory, we, I think, will quickly settle everything.

Nikolai Sungurovsky, director of the military programs of the Razumkov Center:

What are we going to distinguish between? Uncontrolled parts of Donetsk and Lugansk regions and Russia? Sense of such a boundary? Until all paramilitary formations are withdrawn from there, until control from Ukraine is resumed on this territory, there is no sense in such a border. It would make sense if it was a delimitation under international control. But then you need to talk not only about the border, but also about the entire uncontrolled territory.

And what they say is that this is the Croatian option, then none of the existing options in Ukraine will pass. Any option used in other countries requires adaptation. In Ukraine, absolutely different conditions. You can take the approach, but the model will be only Ukrainian.

Lyudmila Gordeladze, director of the Kiev cinema Zhovten:

The authorities’ policy regarding the painful topic of the war in the Donbass resembles a famous bird that hides its head in the sand and thinks that no one sees it. It is necessary to decide: if it is a war, then it is necessary to sign peace with someone. After that, peaceful security measures and territory control can be planned. But for this you need to think strategically. We have a problem with this. Therefore, it turns out ” The goal is nothing, the movement is everything.” And this is a dead end.

Alim Aliyev, program director of the Crimean House:

I share the desire of President Zelensky to patrol and control the Ukrainian border, not only on the demarcation line, but along its entire perimeter. And I support the idea of ​​this embodiment together with representatives of international institutions such as the OSCE. But I do not consider it appropriate to do this together with separatists, who are pawns of the Kremlin and do not adhere to agreements (the latest example is the attack of Ukrainian positions by separatists in the Luhansk region this week).

Russia is constantly trying to direct the conflict into the Ukraine-ORDLO channel, thus promoting the idea of ” internal confrontation.” Therefore, in each of our statements and decisions, we must proceed from the fact that Russia is an aggressor that has occupied part of our territories, which we must return.

(c) HB