Renewed Fighting in Eastern Ukraine Ahead of Possible Truce
Heavy fighting was reported Friday in eastern Ukraine, just hours before Kyiv and rebel leaders were to meet for peace talks that both sides hope can lead to a cease-fire.
Witnesses heard explosions and gunfire on the eastern outskirts of the strategic port city of Mariupol, a continuation of fighting that was also reported there late Thursday.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and a senior separatist leader say they are ready to halt five months of fighting near the Russian border if a peace deal is signed Friday.
Representatives from Ukraine, the rebels, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are set to discuss the peace plan later Friday in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled a 7-point “action plan” for ending the separatist rebellion. The deal, as described by the Russian leader, calls for a halt to “active offensive operations” by both Ukrainian troops and separatists.
It also calls for the pullback of Ukrainian forces, presumably leaving the rebels in control of the territory. Many analysts have said Kyiv is not likely to accept this, viewing it as a surrender.
Ukraine has not confirmed details of the Putin proposal, but Poroshenko on Wednesday acknowledged talks with the Russian leader on ending what he called “this terrible process.” He said “there is no denying that people must stop dying.”
The rebellion in eastern Ukraine, launched in April by pro-Russian separatists, has killed more than 2,600 people and created tens of thousands of refugees fleeing areas near the Russian border.
Both Ukraine and NATO say rebels have made rapid advances in recent days, and accuse Moscow of providing direct help to separatists battling Ukraine forces in the Russian-speaking east.
Russia has consistently denied the presence of Russian troops in Ukraine, while rebel leaders say they have been helped by Russian soldiers who have used their vacation time to battle Ukrainian troops on Ukrainian soil.