GONCHARENKO: CONCESSIONS NEEDED FOR PEACE WITH RUSSIA

KYIV, OCTOBER 2 /SRNA/ - Ukraine should begin negotiations with Russia and make concessions on NATO membership, language and religion in order to achieve peace, Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko said.

"Will they accept us into NATO? If they do, will NATO help us in the event of a war? You and I know the answer to these questions. Let us give a hint that we are ready to discuss neutrality," Goncharenko wrote on Telegram.

Referring to the suppression of the Russian language, Goncharenko noted that Ukraine has huge cities where Russian is spoken and that Kyiv would have to ensure that Russian speakers have the right to use their native language.

"Now Europeans are demanding that we change our language legislation so that it complies with European standards. Let the Russian language be represented under those conditions," he said.

Goncharenko also pointed out that freedom of religion is crucial, and therefore Kyiv would have to ensure unhindered religious services and activities of both the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, as well as other religious communities.

Goncharenko called the issue of Donbas the most difficult one to resolve in the Ukrainian conflict, saying it should be discussed after the sides reach agreement on many other issues.