Ukraine derides Russia ceasefire plan before summit

Ukraine's government has denounced a Kremlin ceasefire plan for the country's conflict, calling it a bid by a "terrorist state" to deceive the European Union and Nato as they prepared to discuss moves to counter alleged Russian aggression.

On the eve of today's Nato summit in Wales, US president Barack Obama reaffirmed the alliance's commitment to defend all its allies during a visit to ex-Soviet Estonia, France postponed delivery of a warship to Russia and Poland urged Nato states to give "military-technical" help to Ukraine in its battle with Moscow-backed separatists.

In an unexpected development yesterday, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko announced that plans for a "permanent ceasefire" in Donetsk and Luhansk regions had been agreed with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Russia swiftly said it could not agree such a deal because it is not party to a conflict that it claims is between Kiev and the rebels, but Mr Putin later said his “views on the way to resolve the conflict . . . are very close” to those of Mr Poroshenko.

Ceasefire plan

Mr Putin unveiled a seven-point ceasefire plan calling on Ukraine and rebels to halt military action; for Kiev’s forces to withdraw to positions from which they cannot shell cities, and to stop airstrikes; to allow the work of an international observer mission; to exchange all prisoners; to create humanitarian aid corridors; and to start rebuilding ruined infrastructure.

Mr Putin said he hoped the measures could be agreed at a planned meeting tomorrow in Belarus between envoys representing Ukraine, Russia, the rebels and the 57-state Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Those talks are set to take place the day before the expiry of a deadline set by the EU for Russia to de-escalate Ukraine’s conflict or face tougher economic sanctions. “This latest plan is another attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the international community ahead of the Nato summit and an attempt to avert the EU’s inevitable decision to unleash a new wave of sanctions against Russia,” said Ukrainian premier Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

“The best plan for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine has only one single element – for Russia to withdraw its troops, its mercenaries and its terrorists from Ukrainian territory.”

‘Aggressor state’

Calling Russia “a terrorist state . . . an aggressor state”, Mr Yatsenyuk said of Nato that the “correct decision would be one to accept Ukraine as a member” – a move fiercely opposed by

Moscow

and not on the alliance’s agenda.

There was no direct comment from Mr Poroshenko’s office on the substance of Mr Putin’s seven-point plan.

Mr Obama struck a sceptical note in Tallinn, saying: “We haven’t seen a lot of follow-up on so-called announced ceasefires . . . Having said that, if in fact Russia is prepared to stop financing, arming, training, in many cases joining with Russian troops’ activities in Ukraine and is serious about a political settlement, that is something we all hope for.”

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the plan “perhaps a small sign of hope”.

Fighting continued in several areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions yesterday, with government forces broadly in retreat after a major rebel counterattack allegedly backed by Russian soldiers and armour.

In Dublin yesterday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan briefed Cabinet on the situation at its first meeting since July.