Voice of Russia reports that Pushilin is unwilling to negotiate with Kiev, a point which undercuts Moscow's cooperation with a trilateral committee formed by Ukraine's new president Petro Poroshenko which was designed to end this crisis:

Specifically, Pushilin said the southeastern regions of Ukraine are interested in issues such as the creation of a humanitarian corridor, exchange of POWs, and "withdrawal of illegal armed groups from the territory of Donbas."

"These should be the first issues to be tackled," he said. Pushilin said he believes now would be the right time to bring a Russian peacekeeping contingent to the southeastern regions.

Responding to a question from Interfax on whether the Donetsk People's Republic can change its mind about its independence, Pushilin said: "There is no point talking about some united Ukraine after this many deaths and destroyed lives in Donetsk, Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and other cities of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, after the horrific events in Odessa."

