KIEV, April 13. /TASS/: Ukraine wants to settle the conflict in Donbass by political and diplomatic means and has no plans to regain control of its eastern territories by military means but it is ready for possible escalation of the situation in the region, Alexei Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said on Tuesday at a meeting with EU ambassadors.
"Today, Ukraine has no plans to regain control over temporarily occupied territories by military means. Our task is to settle the conflict solely by political and diplomatic means," he was quoted as saying on the Council’s website.
However, in his words, Ukraine is ready for possible escalation of the situation. "We will not cede our soil," he emphasized.
According to the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, Danilov thanked European partners for support to Ukraine and stressed the importance of such assistance. "It will be difficult for us without assistance from our real partners," he said, adding that Ukraine "is ready to respond to the threats emerging near its border."
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba told a news conference after talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels that Ukraine did not wat a war and was committed to diplomatic ways of settling the situation in Donbass. However, in his words, Ukraine would not drop its guard in case of escalation.
The situation in Donbass escalated in late February 2021, with shootouts, including with the use of mortars and grenade launchers, being reported from the contact line practically every day. Casualties are reported on both sides, including among civilians. Ukraine has blamed the Donbass republics for the escalation whereas Lugansk and Donetsk accuse Ukraine of ignoring the July 2020 agreements.
