Russian
President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko have
agreed on the need to de-escalate the raging conflict in eastern
Ukraine.
The two presidents reached the consensus during their first bilateral
talks that were hosted by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in
his country’s capital Minsk on Tuesday.
Lukashenko said despite the agreement, fundamental differences remain.
The talks were aimed at de-escalating the worsening crisis in eastern Ukraine that heightened tensions between Moscow and the West, and prompted the United States and EU to slap sanctions on Russia.
In recent months, the Western states have placed sanctions on Russia, including on its financial and energy sectors.
The Western powers accuse Moscow of having a hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, which erupted when Kiev launched military operations in April to silence pro-Russia protests, but the Kremlin denies the accusation.
Ukraine’s eastern regions have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations there in mid-April.
The unrest in eastern Ukraine has so far claimed the lives of more than 2,200 people, according to figures released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Nearly 300,000 people have also been forced to flee their homes due to fierce fighting in the east, according to the UN.
SRK/AS/MHB
Lukashenko said despite the agreement, fundamental differences remain.
"Most likely, we shouldn’t expect a major breakthrough. But we need a conceptual decision, or order to start moving towards peace," Lukashenko said at a meeting in Minsk with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.He also expressed confidence that "the EU does not object to further dialogue until complete settlement of the situation."
The talks were aimed at de-escalating the worsening crisis in eastern Ukraine that heightened tensions between Moscow and the West, and prompted the United States and EU to slap sanctions on Russia.
In recent months, the Western states have placed sanctions on Russia, including on its financial and energy sectors.
The Western powers accuse Moscow of having a hand in the crisis in eastern Ukraine, which erupted when Kiev launched military operations in April to silence pro-Russia protests, but the Kremlin denies the accusation.
Ukraine’s eastern regions have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations there in mid-April.
The unrest in eastern Ukraine has so far claimed the lives of more than 2,200 people, according to figures released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Nearly 300,000 people have also been forced to flee their homes due to fierce fighting in the east, according to the UN.
SRK/AS/MHB