There can be no bargaining over Crimea, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, when asked if Moscow could return control over the Russian-Ukrainian border in Donbass to Kiev to make sure that Ukraine resumed water supplies to Crimea.
Servant of the People faction leader David Arakhamia suggested yesterday that Ukraine should establish water supplies to Crimea in return for control over the border with Russia in Donbass.
He pointed out that Crimea was a Russian region where water was supplied in accordance with development programs. "If there are any initiatives concerning additional water supplies, perhaps commercial ones, they could be considered," Peskov added.
According to the Kremlin spokesman, the situation in Donbass was Ukraine’s domestic affair. "We are doing our best to facilitate efforts to resolve [the conflict]," he noted, adding that Kiev needed to discuss the border issue with the self-proclaimed Donbass republics.
"As of now, one can assume with a high degree of certainty that they will not agree to change the essence of the Minsk Agreements signed by their leaders," TASS cited Peskov as saying.
