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Putin:
Parties agreed on ceasefire starting February 15
An
agreement has been reached in Minsk to stop hostilities in Ukraine
from Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the media.
RT,
12
February, 2014
An
agreement has been reached in Minsk to stop hostilities in Ukraine
from Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the media.
“I
believe we agreed on a big deal. We agreed to a ceasefire starting at
00:00 on February 15,” he announced.
The
announcement comes after a marathon negotiation in the Belarusian
capital between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.
A
compromise decision was taken over the disengagement line, which was
the biggest stumbling block in the negotiation. Putin said Kiev’s
troops would pull back heavy weapons from the current frontline. The
rebels would pull back from the line as it existed in September, when
the previous ceasefire agreement was signed.
The
agreement also repeats the points of last year’s truce, including
political reform in Ukraine to ensure special status for its rebel
provinces and the settlement of the border guard situation, Putin
said.
Humanitarian
and economic issues are also mentioned in the deal.
The
terms of the ceasefire are spelled out in a document signed by
members of the so-called contact group, which includes
representatives from the rebel forces, Kiev, Russia and the
Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe, Putin said.
The
members of the “Normandy Four” – Putin, Ukrainian President
Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French
President Francois Hollande – supported a joint declaration
describing the result of their work.
Putin
said that Kiev’s unwillingness to hold direct talks with the
self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics was among
the reasons why it took so much time to reach an agreement.
“They
may be unrecognized, but we have to deal with real life here, and if
everyone wants to agree and have sustainable relations, direct
contacts are needed,” Putin said.
He
added that the “Normandy Four” expect the parties involved in the
conflict to show restraint
Ukraine
crisis: Putin announces ceasefire
A
ceasefire will begin in eastern Ukraine on 15 February, Russian
President Vladimir Putin has announced
BBC,
12
February, 2014
"We
have managed to agree on the main issues," he said following
marathon talks involving Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, as
well the leaders of France and Germany.
French
President Francois Hollande said it was a "serious deal"
but not everything had been agreed.
Thousands
of people have been killed in the fighting in the east of Ukraine.
Mr
Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are leading the marathon
talks in the Belarus capital, Minsk.
The
meeting - which began on Wednesday - focused on securing a ceasefire,
withdrawal of heavy weapons and creating a demilitarised zone in
Eastern Ukraine.
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