Mykhailo Chernov: A peacekeeping mission to Ukraine would be possible if all the parties to the conflict stop warfare

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Kyiv, March 04, 2015 – A peacekeeping mission to Ukraine may be deployed only if all parties to the conflict will maintain complete ceasefire and withdraw heavy weapons from the clash line in the ATO area.  Mykhailo Chernov, representative of the organization “All-Ukrainian Union of Peacekeeping Operations Members” and civil society association “All-Ukrainian Federation of Peacekeeping Organizations of Ukraine”,  told about this at the briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.  “One of the requirements to deploy a peacekeeping operation is the mutual consent of conflicting parties and their willingness to work out a peaceful settlement of the conflict.  However, we see that the Russia-backed separatists are violating this requirement”, Mr. Chernov said.

If one of the conflicting parties is not willing to comply with the international or regional security organizations requirements, thus threatening the peace, the Peace Enforcement process may be applied. This is a peacekeeping format which may or may not engage military forces. According to Mr. Chernov, the international community actions towards Russia is a form of peace enforcement without engaging military forces, that is package of  economic, legal and financial sanctions, applied against separatist leaders in the Crimea and in Donbass, and, first and foremost, against Russia. Thus, the international community implies that Russia is a party to the conflict.

In addition to peace enforcement process, the expert emphasized another four formats of peacekeeping which are practicable and may be implemented only on a certain stage of the conflict:

–        preventive diplomacy is used when the conflict grounds are identified;

–        peacemaking takes place if the conflict escalates;

–        peacekeeping operation is most efficient on initial stages of peaceful settlement;

–        post-conflict peacebuilding takes place upon achieving the sustainable peace.

Mykhailo Chernov noted that the armed peace enforcement operation engaging military forces on the territory of Ukraine is impossible, because Russia, one of the parties to the conflict, is a nuclear state.

Further strengthening of economic and political pressure from the international community and Ukrainian government over the violator of peace is feasible to lay the grounds for Peacemaking process commencement. «The international community support is crucial now. When other countries officially recognize Russia as the aggressor nation, Russia will be more likely to get deprived of its right of veto in the UN Security Council. Moreover, this action would preclude the Russian troops joining the UN peacekeeping mission on the territory of Eastern Ukraine, as their participation is unacceptable for Ukraine.   According to the international laws, a party to the conflict may not participate in the peacekeeping task force”, Mr. Chernov said.