Ukraine peace talks end, ceasefire to begin Sunday

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Series Details 12.02.15
Publication Date 12/02/2015
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In negotiations which lasted nearly 17 hours in the Belarusian capital Minsk, and ended in the morning of the 12 February 2015 the Heads of State and Government of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement on a ceasefire for eastern Ukraine, to start at midnight on the 14 February 2015. In addition, a roadmap for the implementation of the Minsk agreements of September 2014 was adopted.

The agreement was signed by leaders of the pro-Russian rebels and the Ukraine Trilateral Contact Group which, alongside representatives of Moscow and Kyiv, also included the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

After the negotiations, German Foreign Minister Steinmeier stated that the agreement reached were no breakthrough but that it could mark a step away from the spiral of military escalation and lead to political impetus.

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, welcomed the results of the Summit in Minsk and gave his full support to the package of measures for the implementation of the September 2014 Minsk agreements agreed by the Trilateral Contact Group.

However, there were reports that around 50 tanks had entered Ukraine from Russia while the talks were going on, according to Ukraine's army.

The outcome was discussed later at the informal European Council in Brussels in the evening of 12 February 2015. EU leaders gave a cautious welcome to the agreement but warned of further sanctions against Russia if it was not implemented.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was reported as saying on the 13 February 2015 that Russia was the guarantor of the Ukrainian reconciliation, not a party that needed to fulfill the Minsk agreement.

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Related Links
ESO: Background information: Merkel and Hollande bring peace plan to Kyiv and Moscow http://www.europeansources.info/record/merkel-and-hollande-bring-peace-plan-to-kyiv-and-moscow/
EurActiv, 12.02.15: Minsk marathon talks end up with ceasefire agreement http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/source-minsk-talks-ukraine-close-agreement-312044
Euronews, 12.02.15: Putin backs troop and heavy weapons withdrawal as part of Ukraine ceasefire http://www.euronews.com/2015/02/12/putin-backs-troop-and-heavy-weapons-withdrawal-as-part-of-ukraine-ceasefire/
France24, 12.02.15: Ukraine's warring parties agree to February 15 ceasefire http://www.france24.com/en/20150212-deal-ceasefire-agreed-ukraine-crisis-minsk-putin-hollande/
BBC News, 12.02.15: Ukraine crisis: Russia conditions unacceptable - Poroshenko http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-31434528
The Guardian, 12.02.15: Ukraine ceasefire deal agreed at Minsk talks http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/12/ukraine-crisis-reports-emerge-of-agreement-in-minsk-talks
Sputnik International, 12.02.15: Obama Threatened Putin Before Minsk Meeting – German Media http://sputniknews.com/us/20150212/1018164901.html
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EurActiv, 13.02.15: Hit Russia with more sanctions if Minsk deal broken, Poroshenko tells EU http://www.euractiv.com/sections/europes-east/hit-russia-more-sanctions-if-minsk-deal-broken-poroshenko-tells-eu-312083
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Sputnik International, 13.02.15: Russia Guarantor of Ukraine Settlement, Not Party Fulfilling Deal - Kremlin http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150213/1018209668.html
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EP: EPRS: Briefing, 12.02.15: Minsk peace agreement: still to be consolidated on the ground http://epthinktank.eu/2015/02/13/minsk-peace-agreement-still-to-be-consolidated-on-the-ground/
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