Ukrainian Officials: 8 Soldiers Killed Despite Truce Deal
Ukrainian military officials say eight soldiers have been killed
and 34 wounded in fighting in east Ukraine in the past day, despite a
four-nation cease-fire deal that was reached Thursday but is not yet in
effect.
The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France signed the deal in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, after 16 hours of talks. They announced a pullback of forces battling near the Russian border, an exchange of prisoners, and a cease-fire set to begin Sunday.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the efforts of the four leaders to end the pro-Russia uprising in eastern Ukraine, saying he expects the truce deal to be honored by all parties.
French President Francois Hollande said the deal, if honored, amounts to a "comprehensive political solution," while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it offers "a glimmer of hope." She also said "we have no illusions," and that "much work" remains to establish a lasting peace.
The United States consulted with its allies but did not participate in the Minsk summit. The White House called the deal "a potentially significant step toward a peaceful" end to the conflict.
A White House statement said the "true test" of the accord "will be in its full and unambiguous implementation, including the durable end of hostilities and the restoration of Ukrainian control over its border with Russia."
President Barack Obama said last week he would await the outcome of the summit before deciding whether to supply Ukraine with defensive weaponry to offset the cross-border flow of Russian military hardware and fighters. Analysts say a decision on such weaponry is not likely before the effectiveness of the truce deal can be fully evaluated.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the parties "managed to agree on the main issues," including the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the conflict area.
However, analysts voicing caution about the deal note that it sets no deadline for the withdrawal of Russian forces, weapons and equipment from Ukraine, and does not set a timetable for Ukraine to regain control of its eastern border.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko stressed Thursday that the Ukrainian side did not agree to grant "autonomy" to the rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine, and made no concessions in its opposition to the country's "federalization" - a demand Moscow has repeatedly made.
Russia has denied sending troops or weapons across the border to aid in the fighting, which has killed at least 5,400 people and wounded thousands more since separatists launched their uprising 10 months ago.
Ukraine and a host of Western governments accuse Moscow of stoking the rebellion in Ukraine's Russian-speaking east with arms and fighters. Moscow has repeatedly denied providing direct support to rebels, and claims that Russian troops seen fighting alongside rebels are volunteers.
The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France signed the deal in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, after 16 hours of talks. They announced a pullback of forces battling near the Russian border, an exchange of prisoners, and a cease-fire set to begin Sunday.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the efforts of the four leaders to end the pro-Russia uprising in eastern Ukraine, saying he expects the truce deal to be honored by all parties.
French President Francois Hollande said the deal, if honored, amounts to a "comprehensive political solution," while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it offers "a glimmer of hope." She also said "we have no illusions," and that "much work" remains to establish a lasting peace.
The United States consulted with its allies but did not participate in the Minsk summit. The White House called the deal "a potentially significant step toward a peaceful" end to the conflict.
A White House statement said the "true test" of the accord "will be in its full and unambiguous implementation, including the durable end of hostilities and the restoration of Ukrainian control over its border with Russia."
President Barack Obama said last week he would await the outcome of the summit before deciding whether to supply Ukraine with defensive weaponry to offset the cross-border flow of Russian military hardware and fighters. Analysts say a decision on such weaponry is not likely before the effectiveness of the truce deal can be fully evaluated.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the parties "managed to agree on the main issues," including the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the conflict area.
However, analysts voicing caution about the deal note that it sets no deadline for the withdrawal of Russian forces, weapons and equipment from Ukraine, and does not set a timetable for Ukraine to regain control of its eastern border.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko stressed Thursday that the Ukrainian side did not agree to grant "autonomy" to the rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine, and made no concessions in its opposition to the country's "federalization" - a demand Moscow has repeatedly made.
Russia has denied sending troops or weapons across the border to aid in the fighting, which has killed at least 5,400 people and wounded thousands more since separatists launched their uprising 10 months ago.
Ukraine and a host of Western governments accuse Moscow of stoking the rebellion in Ukraine's Russian-speaking east with arms and fighters. Moscow has repeatedly denied providing direct support to rebels, and claims that Russian troops seen fighting alongside rebels are volunteers.
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