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newthinking

(3,982 posts) Sat Jan 31, 2015, 03:36 PM Jan 2015

Talks on ending Ukraine fighting begin as death toll continues to rise

Source: The Guardian

Talks aimed at striking a “binding” truce in Ukraine began in Minsk on Saturday afternoon as the number of soldiers and civilians killed continued to mount amid fierce fighting in several areas.

Representatives for the rebels, Russia, Ukraine and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe met in the Belarusian capital, but no details were immediately available.

Former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma, the OSCE’s Heidi Tagliavini, and separatist representatives Denis Pushilin and Vladislav Deinego, as well as the Russian ambassador to Kiev, Mikhail Zurabov, were participating in the talks aimed at ending fighting that has left more than 5,000 people dead.

Ukrainian business tycoon and politician Viktor Medvedchuk - a close ally of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, whom Moscow has backed as a mediator - was also present.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/31/call-for-immediate-ceasefire-in-eastern-ukraine-as-fighting-intensifies

6 replies

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Talks on ending Ukraine fighting begin as death toll continues to rise (Original Post) newthinking Jan 2015 OP

Needed. an international Peace Conference, on this issue quadrature Jan 2015 #1

The "pro-Russians" Duckhunter935 Jan 2015 #2

Not unilaterally. The talks broke down January 12 on both sides newthinking Jan 2015 #4

I hope so too... Adrahil Jan 2015 #5

Yes one side pulled out, the "pro-Russian's" Duckhunter935 Jan 2015 #6

Ukraine Peace Talks End In Mutual Accusations Purveyor Jan 2015 #3

quadrature

(2,049 posts)

1. Needed. an international Peace Conference, on this issue

Reply to newthinking (Original post)

Sat Jan 31, 2015, 04:30 PM

Jan 2015

I can't do it by myself.

Duckhunter935

(16,974 posts)

2. The "pro-Russians"

Reply to newthinking (Original post)

Sat Jan 31, 2015, 04:50 PM

Jan 2015

unilaterally pulled out of the cease fire they signed and agreed to. The first step should be for them to agree to the cease fire they already signed and stop the offensive on Debaltseve and the rest of the line of contact they are on the offensive.

newthinking

(3,982 posts)

4. Not unilaterally. The talks broke down January 12 on both sides

Reply to Duckhunter935 (Reply #2)

Sat Jan 31, 2015, 05:53 PM

Jan 2015

Because it has always been shaky.

Talks fail to set Ukraine peace summit date
http://www.thelocal.de/20150113/talks-fail-to-set-ukraine-peace-summit-date

Ukraine authorized new "mobilizations" on January 15th. They had talked about these mobilizations for several months. Of course that would destabilize things.

There are new talks on, so hopefully now they may get further.

Adrahil

(13,340 posts)

5. I hope so too...

Reply to newthinking (Reply #4)

Sat Jan 31, 2015, 06:28 PM

Jan 2015

but Russia will not allow peace until Eastern Ukraine is under it's control (not necessarily directly, but through a client government), and it has a secure land route to its military bases in Crimea.

Mariupol is the first move in the end game, as Russia sees it, IMO.

Duckhunter935

(16,974 posts)

6. Yes one side pulled out, the "pro-Russian's"

Reply to newthinking (Reply #4)

Sat Jan 31, 2015, 06:47 PM

Jan 2015

yes unilaterally

DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine rejected a previously signed peace deal Friday and announced a new multi-pronged offensive against Ukrainian government troops.

The main separatist leader in the Donetsk region said the insurgents won't join further peace talks and another rebel went even further saying they will not abide by a peace deal signed in September.

Separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko said rebel fighters launched the new offensive to gain more territory and forestall a Ukrainian attack. He declared they will push the government troops to the border of the separatist Donetsk region and possibly even further.

"Attempts to talk about a cease-fire will no longer be undertaken by our side," Zakharchenko said.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/01/23/pro-russian-rebels-reject-peace-deal-launch-offensive/22226309/

Purveyor

(29,876 posts)

3. Ukraine Peace Talks End In Mutual Accusations

Reply to newthinking (Original post)

Sat Jan 31, 2015, 05:23 PM

Jan 2015

Peace talks on Ukraine collapsed on Saturday after just over four hours with no tangible progress towards a new ceasefire but with Ukraine's representative and separatist envoys angrily accusing each other of sabotaging the meeting.

Ukraine's representative, former president Leonid Kuchma, left the talks in Minsk, Belarus, telling Interfax news agency that separatist officials had undermined the meeting by making ultimatums and refusing "to discuss a plan of measures for a quick ceasefire and a pull-back of heavy weapons."

Denis Pushilin, one of the separatist officials, told the Russian news agency RIA that they were ready for dialogue "but not ready for ultimatums from Kyiv while shelling by their forces is going on in the background of towns in the Donbass [industrialized eastern Ukraine]."

The meeting of the "contact group," which also involves a Russian envoy and an official from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, took place in the Belarussian capital even as fighting between Kyiv's forces and the Russian-backed rebels raged in Ukraine's east, claiming more civilian and military lives.

The outcome dashed hopes that a new ceasefire could be put together soon to stem nine months of conflict pitting Ukrainian government forces against Russian-backed separatists who have declared "people's republics" in eastern Ukraine.

more...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukraine-peace-talks-end-in-mutual-accusations-1.2939016

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