Ukraine peace talks collapse as fighting rages
Minsk (AFP) – Peace talks to thrash out a truce agreement between pro-Russian rebels and Ukraine ended without a deal Saturday, Kyiv’s representative at the talks in Minsk said.
Former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma told Interfax Ukraine news agency the talks had been “thwarted” after top rebel leaders stayed away and their negotiators refused to discuss a plan for an immediate ceasefire.
Kuchma accused the insurgents’ representatives of also putting forward “ultimatums” at the four-hour talks without giving anymore details.