Ukraine and Europe
The EU has stepped up its pressure on Moscow, which with the specter of tougher economic sanctions looming large, is now ready to contribute to implementing Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenkos peace plan.
Valentin Țigău, 24.06.2014, 12:25
Russia must support the peace plan proposed by Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko for settling the crisis in Ukraine and use its influence over the separatist militias in the southeast of the country, says an EU Council communiqué issued after the foreign ministers’ session on Monday. The document also includes an appeal to Moscow to continue to pull out its troops from the border.
The EU has reiterated its readiness to slap further sanctions on Russia also asking for the release of the OSCE observers who are still in the hands of the separatists. We recall that last week, Poroshenko ordered a ceasefire in the region of Donbass until June 27th.
The move is part of a plan aimed at de-escalating the conflict in southeastern Ukraine, which also comprises peace talks, the creation of a ten-kilometer buffer zone at the Russian-Ukrainian border and a corridor allowing the Russian mercenaries to reenter Russia after they have laid down their weapons. The separatist leaders have agreed to observe the provisional ceasefire. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Moscow, a first round of talks brokered by the OSCE has already taken place between Russia and Ukraine ahead of the main negotiations.
The conditions asked by the separatists have included the withdrawal of the Ukrainian paramilitary units, of the National Guard and the regular troops, compensations granted by Kiev to the families of those wounded or killed in action, as well as an amnesty to benefit all the insurgents. They have also called on the Ukrainian president and the representatives of the two self-proclaimed republics to agree on a constitutional act regulating their status. In the separatists’ vision, under the document, the two provinces may get the status of autonomous regions inside a federation or confederation or may enjoy a special status inside Ukraine, a condition vehemently rejected by Kiev so far.
In another move, US president Barack Obama on Monday warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that he would introduce fresh sanctions against the Russian Federation unless Moscow ended its aggression in Ukraine, mainly providing weapons and support to terrorists.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said, “Poroshenko has presented a strong plan, a very good peace plan. We hope now everybody, including Russia, will work with that”. Nevertheless the British official cautioned that unless Moscow took real measures to support Poroshenko’s plan until Friday, the EU was ready to impose more sanctions on Russia.
