Thursday, June 26, 2014

Extension Of The Ukraine Truce In Doubt As Kiev Indicates That It May Not Extend The Ceasefire



Ukraine Warns On Ceasefire As Rebels Agree To Fresh Peace Talks -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Ukrainian separatists agreed on Thursday to resume peace talks to end the conflict in the east, but President Petro Poroshenko warned he might not extend a ceasefire beyond Friday night if their gesture was aimed only at buying time.

The move by the pro-Russian rebels, who have been fighting government forces since April, came after German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the second time in two days to discuss how to end the crisis.

In Berlin, a government source said the aim of the phone call, which Moscow said took place at Merkel's initiative, was to find a way of prolonging Kiev's ceasefire which is due to expire at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Friday.

Read more ....

More News On Ukraine's Ceasefire

Ukrainian rebels ‘agree to further peace talks’ -- Irish Times
Report: Ukrainian Rebels Agree to Further Peace Talks -- VOA
Ukraine Government Representatives to Meet Rebels Again -- WSJ
US, EU pressure Putin to save shaky Ukraine truce -- Global Post/AFP

My Comment: Even though Ukrainian President Poroshenko is voicing doubts on extending the ceasefire .... I predict that he will extend it. His U.S. and European allies are demanding it, and the rebels have agreed to an extension. To refuse such an extension will only alienate his allies .... and give the rebels a public relations victory.

Update#1: Why an I not surprised .... Ukrainian President says cease-fire talks to continue -- CNN

Update #2: Even with the ceasefire .... the fighting still continues (see above video).

1 comment:

Rhaegar said...

An Ukrainian military base are under attack. Its attacked by the pro-Russian Vostok battalion. I think Putin wants chaos since the Vostok battalion are controled by Russia, most of the people in it are Checens. Will the unrest in Ukraine spread to other regions?