Poroshenko discusses peace plan with Putin, Merkel, Hollande
KIEV, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko tried to keep his peace plan to settle the conflict with pro-Russian separatists on track in a four-way phone call Sunday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of France and Germany.
The two-hour conversation came ahead of a deadline today that European Union leaders set for Russia and the separatists to take steps to ease the violence, warning that otherwise they were ready “at any time” to impose further punitive measures.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande encouraged the Ukrainian and Russian presidents to work on meeting the EU conditions, Hollande’s office said in a statement. The EU’s demands included the return of three border checkpoints to Ukrainian control, verification of the cease-fire by monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and talks to put Poroshenko’s peace plan in place.
The call was the latest in a series of discussions the four leaders have held in recent weeks in an effort to stop the fighting that has killed more than 400 people since April. A cease-fire in place since June 20 has been shaky, with each side accusing the other of numerous violations.
A statement issued by Poroshenko’s office said he underlined Ukraine’s willingness to maintain the cease-fire at least until this evening but expressed concern about the situation, noting what he said were multiple violations of the truce by separatist fighters. He called on Putin to strengthen border controls from the Russian side to stop what Ukraine says is the flow of weapons, fighters and mercenaries.
The sides agreed that more talks among representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the separatists would convene “very soon,” Poroshenko’s office said.
A Kremlin statement said the four leaders discussed having OSCE monitors stationed at the border crossing points. They also discussed issues resulting from Ukraine’s signing of a broad trade deal with the EU on Friday despite Russia’s objections. Russian officials have said Ukraine’s tariff-free trade arrangement with Russia may be withdrawn, but no trade sanctions have yet been announced.
In another indication that tensions remain high, several hundred Ukrainian soldiers and activists gathered outside the presidential administration in Kiev on Sunday to demand that Poroshenko lift the cease-fire and allow them to resume their fight.
A presidential administration official, Henadiy Zubko, promised to pass on their demands to the president but told them that the cease-fire order would remain in effect until 10 p.m. today.