Well, the last Minsk truce lasted about as long as the press statement announcing the deal, the all night series of meetings had its ups and downs and near announcement of failure early in the morning. I wonder what completed this agreement? Most likely Europe’s values to avoid a unnecessary proxy war at its frontier. Obama must have had a restless night’s sleep communicating neocon views to Ukraine’s president Poroshenko. Merkel and Hollande didn’t budge and pushed forward … for peace.
Ukraine’s warring parties agree to February 15 ceasefire | France24 |
The warring parties in Ukraine agreed Thursday to a February 15 ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front lines in a deal French President François Hollande called a “comprehensive political solution” after marathon talks in Minsk.
Speaking to reporters after almost 16 hours of talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany in the Belarusian capital Minsk, Putin said: “We have managed to agree on the main issues,” adding that a ceasefire would come into effect at midnight on February 15.
“The second point, which I believe to be extremely important, is the withdrawal of heavy weapons from today’s line of contact for Ukrainian troops and from the line stipulated in the September 19 Minsk Agreements for Donbass rebels,” he said.
French President François Hollande called the deal a “comprehensive political solution” and said it provides “serious hope, even if all is not done”.
“All matters are addressed by this document,” Hollande told journalists, standing alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel after marathon talks with Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
But Putin also stressed the importance of constitutional reform in Ukraine and the introduction of a “special status” for the rebel-held areas in the industrial east, while calling for “restraint”.
‘A relief for Europe’
continued below the fold …
‘A relief for Europe’ | Deutsche Welle |
In a joint statement, the four leaders reaffirmed “their full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine” and their belief that there was “no alternative to an exclusively peaceful settlement.”
The French president called the deal “a relief for Europe” and said the agreement addresses all issues including those of “decentralization, border control and removal of heavy weapons.”
Merkel, however, emphasized that there was “a lot of work to be done.” But she also said she was hopeful the situation could be changed for the better. “We have earnest hope for Ukraine and also for Europe,” she said.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was restrained about the deal, “We expect that they desist from anything in the especially sensitive phase until the ceasefire comes into effect that could undermine today’s agreements.”
The four leaders of the Normandy format – the French name for the Ukraine contact group – also decided to establish a monitoring mission to oversee the enforcement of the ceasefire.
My previous diaries:
○ “Guten Tag Washington. Now, About Those CIA Flights …” | Nov. 2005 |
○ Amazing Chancellor Angela Merkel ¶ Takes Germans By Pleasant Surprise | Jan. 2006 |
○ Putin’s Denunciation of US policy at Munich Conference | Feb. 2007 |
Did he also use the words, “This is my last territorial demand in Europe”?
My prediction: As the US is driving this war, the ceasefire will break, more civilians will die, Poroshenko will be replaced by even more fascist forces, and the rump state of Ukraine will continue to fall apart until the Russian gas pipelines are ruptured.
Then there will be a worldwide depression. Ukraine will be forgotten by the west and will remain fractured until it’s put back together, probably by Russia.
There will be another exodus of Ukrainian fascists into the west, mostly to the US, Europe hoping that they go to the US.
disagree w u. Obama has an alliance w Merkel (at least that’s what the German media is reporting) for diplomacy not weapons against those “driving this war”, an end run around the attempt to appropriate his foreign policy authority.
Some media outlets offer analysis unfit to print …
○ Poroshenko Calls for NATO Weapons Ahead of Kerry Meeting | Feb. 4, 2015 |
○ David Cameron warns of ‘appeasing Putin as we did Hitler’ | Sept. 2014 |
○ Ukraine crisis: US officials compare peace efforts to appeasing Hitler | UK The Telegraph |
[Note US ally Cameron has been left out of the Minsk talks – Oui]
National Post: Comments from a private meeting of American officials and politicians, meanwhile,
laid bare the contempt of the U.S. for Europe’s attempts to broker peace.
As Obama pushes to extend the war in accordance to NATO expansion policy, Merkel strikes the tone of diplomacy. In front of the camera it’s peace and harmony … the NSA spying all but forgotten?
○ Address of President Petro Poroshenko at press conference | Dec. 29, 2014 | [warning: delusionary – Oui]
○ Ukraine parliament approves move towards NATO | Xmas 2014 |
○ Ukraine prepares for war | March 28, 2014 |
As long as those fascist squadrons exist, it is hard to see much progress. Chocolate Boy is concerned about a coup from his right and the open wound of those Nazi enthusiasts prevents reconciliation. So there will be a further push for action against the ‘separatists’ in Donbass lest the push comes at the
governmentregime in Kiev instead. I expect another major assault later this Spring. Here’s where the seeming fantasy begins. The Ukies have shown a rather pronounced aptitude to plunge headlong into what then becomes these “Cauldrons” in which they suffer significant defeat. This has happened multiple times in the past year. It’s happening RIGHT NOW! The troops sent to the front lines are just conscripted cannon fodder. They know it, but are kept from retreating by the Nazi militias, there in the rear to take care of deserters.The push in the Spring will lead to the Mother of All Cauldrons, with one little wrinkle. Of course, some weapons will get to the Ukies. Just enough so the neo-cons’ talking points will be muted. But the Europeans, Putin and Obama will be on board (Obama playing his peace cards). But on the surface it’s the final push for the Ukies. But it’s really more like the Final Solution for those poor fascists. The plan is simple. Let the Ukies plunge forward as they dream of glorious victory. But this is no ordinary pocket! There’s a hole in the bottom! But as the Ukrainian Army passes through, the hole closes and it’s the fascist battalions in the cauldron. Whence commences one of the most ferocious “hail”, Russian “GRAD”, attacks in recent memory. When the smoke clears, life begins again and there is no need to look behind.
That fantasy strikes me as of biblical inspiration.
Or maybe just living in Colorado!
This cease fire will not take….Why? Putin is an asshole. He needs attention to go with his very big ego. If he just came out of the closet he wouldn’t be so stressed.