Photo from UNIAN

A Ukrainian businessman, former head of Dnipropetrovsk region Ihor Kolomoisky, believes that Ukraine could quickly return Donbas, but this could only happen as a result of negotiations.

Speaking with the editor-in-chief of Livyi Bereh, Sonya Koshkina, Kolomoisky said he was convinced that only by reaching agreements with the people living in the occupied Donbas was it possible to return seized territories to Ukraine, TSN reports.

Ukraine should return Donbas rather quickly. It will be somewhat more difficult with Crimea, but we’ll still return it. Everything depends on our politicians and Putin has nothing to do with it. We must negotiate with the people in Donbas," Kolomoisky said.

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The businessman believes that Putin does not need Donbas as part of the Russian Federation and it is more beneficial for him to integrate the territory into Ukraine.

“The idea some people have that Putin is sitting there controlling everything [in Donbas] is ridiculous. Putin doesn’t need this load. It would be more beneficial for him to integrate Donbas into Ukraine to destroy it [the country] from the inside. Putin is not the only one who decides on the issue. The only thing he can't allow is [Ukraine] returning Donbass by military means," added Ihor Kolomoisky.