Photo from UNIAN
The top diplomat advocates the return of Ukrainian goods to the occupied areas in eastern Ukraine and renewal of pension payments to locals.
Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said that within the framework of the so-called "Zelensky Formula", it is planned to ease the economic blockade of Donbas without setting any preconditions.
In an interview with the European Pravda online newspaper, Prystaiko specified that this does not mean the lifting of the economic blockade, because the prerequisite for abolishing it would be the return of seized enterprises under Ukrainian control.
He proposed distinguishing between the blockade of enterprises and supply of goods for Ukrainian citizens living on the other side of the contact line.
The minister says the economic blockade of the areas in Donetsk and Luhansk occupied by Russia was introduced by the National Security and Defense Council, so a new decision of the NSDC is required to lift it completely.
Read alsoPutin wants Kyiv to end economic blockade of occupied Donbas
At the same time, Prystaiko considers it expedient to resume supplies of Ukrainian goods to the occupied territories, as well as payment of pensions to residents of these areas.
"Even from an economic standpoint, why can't we sell our goods there? Let them have in their grocery stores dairy products with a Ukrainian flag on the pack rather than those with the Russian or Belarusian ones," the minister said.
Prystaiko added that the authorities are now preparing to replace the order on the list of goods that people are allowed to take across the contact line with a list of what is banned for transportation.