Ukraine leaves TCG negotiating table due to the presence of “expert” Pirohova

The Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group withdrew from the negotiating table because, despite a warning, Russia brought in Maia Pirohova, an "expert" convicted of terrorism, to the TCG meeting.

Ukrainian Pravda reported this, referring to the representative of the Ukrainian delegation in the TCG, Serhii Harmash on the air of Ukraine 24.

"Russia knew we left the negotiating table when we warned we would leave if we saw people convicted of terrorism.

Russia knew about it. However, this person (Maia Pirohova) appeared on the monitor. So we got up and left. Here the demarche is more likely not on our part, but on the part of Russia, which knew that but provoked us. We've already stated that the line of the Ukrainian delegation will be the same at the next TCG meeting. That is, if the people convicted by the Ukrainian court are at the hearing again, we will get up and leave."

Details: As reported, at the last meeting, in different modes — trilateral, then five-party, and full delegations — the TCG discussed the impossibility of people convicted of terrorism participating in the negotiation process for almost 5 hours.

Note

In 2014, Pirohova joined the ranks of the so-called "DNR," and since 2015 headed the "Department of State Information Policy of the Ministry of Information of the DNR," but was later dismissed. On June 26, 2018, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Chernivtsi sentenced Maia Pirohova to 10 years in prison in absentia.

In January 2021, Russia independently expanded its delegation to the TCG by "public advisers" from ORDLO. The Russians connected Donetsk collaborators Maia Pirohova and Vladyslav Teplychko to the TCG, and Oksana Dibas and Yurii Barbashev from Luhansk.

As Rubryka reported, last week Ukraine asked to remove Pirohova from a meeting of the TCG political subgroup.