Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's president, announced a week-long truce on Friday, but said the army would fight back in case of a separatist attack.
"The forces of the anti-terrorist operation will halt military action starting today and through June 27," Poroshenko was cited as saying by the Ukrainian interior ministry on its website.
Shortly after the annoucement, the Kremlin was quoted by the Russian news agencies as saying that the truce declaration sounded more like an ultimatum.
Poroshenko said the cease-fire would give separatists time to lay down their arms and leave the country, to be followed by talks, new local elections and a jobs programme.
Poroshenko discussed the details of his peace plan on the phone on Thursday with Vladimir Putin, Russia's president, and his office says he emphasised the need for introducing effective border controls and quickly releasing hostages seized by the rebels.
Rebel leaders have dismissed the plan and it remains to be seen to what extent they would comply.
Latest violence
Earlier in the day, seven Ukrainian troops were killed in overnight fighting in the restive east as clashes between government forces and pro-Russia rebels flared ahead of the cease-fire.
Vladislav Seleznev, spokesman for Ukrainian forces in the east, said 30 troops were injured in fighting near the village of Yampil in the Donetsk region.
Separatists were operating tanks in the region, a particular sore point for Ukraine, which accuses Russia of letting the vehicles and other heavy weaponry cross the border.
- Putin has voiced concern about the Ukrainian military operation against the rebels but has resisted both the rebels' pleas to join Russia and repeated calls from Russian nationalists for Putin to send troops into Ukraine.
- NATO reported on Thursday, however, that Russia was resuming a military build-up at the Ukrainian border.
- Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, said Russian officials were surprised at Western expressions of concern over the renewed troop build-up, saying it was merely a previously announced measure to tighten border controls.
Separately, Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, said Putin was committed to dialogue on Ukraine and was planning to have a phone conversation with US President Barack Obama in the coming days.
Sources : Reuters And AP - aljazeera.com
20/6/14
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«Να τερματιστούν οι εχθροπραξίες εντός της εβδομάδας» (8/6/14)
Ukraine’s newly elected president Petro Poroshenko said on Sunday it was necessary to cease fire in the eastern regions of the country within a week.... (8/6/14)
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Ukraine peace plan: ‘Poroshenko’s PR move in a form of ultimatum’....
ReplyDeleteUkrainian leader’s 15-point peace plan is in fact a demand for unconditional surrender, under a threat of extermination, Mark Sleboda, Moscow State University’s international relations expert, told RT.
RT: Let’s start off with Poroshenko declaring the ceasefire. Some of his statements haven't really come to fruition, so how are we to believe this one, particularly where civilians are concerned, will happen?
Mark Sleboda: We already had several declarations of ceasefire throughout the past week by various political forces and military forces on the ground. And during all this time, the artillery never stopped shelling, the paramilitary forces never stopped advancing and there is no reason to believe that this should be any different.
In fact, there are already some reports from the ground that mortar fire on positions of the Donetsk and Lugansk military forces has already resumed.
RT: So basically what you are saying is - so far no?
MS: No. No. I think this declaration of a ceasefire is merely a PR move by the Poroshenko regime in the run up. It is no surprise that the declared ceasefire ends on the day that Poroshenko is supposed to sign the EU Association Agreement.
RT: Let's talk about the talks between the Kiev-appointed authorities and the eastern regions. It is not proving to be very constructive, them ignoring the anti-government movement leaders there or is it?
MS: It is a little bit of Orwellian double speak to call this a peace plan, and I'm a little bit disappointed that any Russian media network would call it a peace plan, without at least putting it in quotes. Peace is by definition is negotiated and Poroshenko has already declared that there will be no negotiation with the political and militant leaders on the ground in the eastern Ukraine. So this is not a peace plan. This is an ultimatum, a demand for the unconditional surrender, under promise of extermination. .................http://rt.com/op-edge/167444-peace-plan-ultimatum-ukraine/