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Leaders of Belarus, Russia, Germany, France, and Ukraine at the 11–12 February summit in Minsk

At a summit in Minsk on 11 February 2015, the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany agreed to a package of measures to alleviate the ongoing war in the Donbass region of Ukraine. The talks that led to the deal, overseen by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), were organised in response to the collapse of the Minsk Protocol ceasefire in January–February 2015. The new package of measures is intended to revive the Protocol, which had been agreed to on 5 September 2014.

Summit and drafting

Successive attempts to resolve the ongoing war in the Donbass region of Ukraine had seen no result by the start of February 2015. While the Minsk Protocol of 5 September 2014 did significantly reduce fighting in the conflict zone for many months, minor skirmishes continued. At the start of January 2015, the separatist forces of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) began a new offensive on Ukrainian-controlled areas, resulting in the complete collapse of the Minsk Protocol ceasefire. After heavy fighting, DPR forces captured the symbolically important Donetsk International Airport on 21 January, the last part of the city of Donetsk that had been under Ukrainian control. Following this victory, separatist forces pressed their offensive on the important railway and road junction of Debaltseve in late January. This renewed heavy fighting caused significant concern in the international community. French president François Hollande and German chancellor Angela Merkel put forth a new peace plan on 7 February. The Franco-German plan, drawn up after talks with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and Russian president Vladimir Putin, was seen as a revival of the Minsk Protocol. President Hollande said that the plan was the "last chance" for resolution of the conflict. The plan was put forth in response to American proposals to send armaments to the Ukrainian government, something that Chancellor Merkel said would only result in a worsening of the crisis.

A summit to discuss the implementation of the Franco-German diplomatic plan was scheduled for 11 February at Independence Palace in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. It was attended by Russian president Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president François Hollande, DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko, and LPR leader Igor Plotnitsky. Negotiations went on overnight for sixteen hours, and were said to have been "very difficult" by the German foreign minister. Following the talks, it was announced on 12 February that the parties to the conflict had agreed to a new package of peacemaking measures. Some of the measures agreed to were an OSCE-observed unconditional ceasefire from 15 February, withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line, release of prisoners of war, and constitutional reform in Ukraine.

The new package, commonly referred to as "Minsk II", was criticised for being "highly complicated" and "extremely fragile", and for being very similar to the failed Minsk Protocol. The New York Times reported that the plan "included some tripwires", such as not demarcating control over the city of Debaltseve, which was the site of the most fierce fighting at the time of the plan's drafting. Following the Minsk talks, Chancellor Merkel, President Hollande, and President Poroshenko attended a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels. At the summit, the Minsk participants briefed EU leaders about the talks. During the briefing, they said that President Putin had tried to delay the implementation of a ceasefire by ten days, so as to force Ukrainian troops in Debaltseve to surrender their positions. For his part, President Putin said that the Debaltseve defenders were encircled, and that the separatists expected them "to lay down their arms and cease resistance".

Measures

The full text of the agreement is as follows:

  1. Immediate and full ceasefire in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and its strict fulfilment as of 00:00 midnight EET on 15 February 2015.
  2. Pull-out of all heavy weapons by both sides to equal distance with the aim of creation of a security zone on minimum 50 kilometres (31 mi) apart for artillery of 100mm calibre or more, and a security zone of 70 kilometres (43 mi) for MLRS and 140 kilometres (87 mi) for MLRS Tornado-S, Uragan, Smerch and Tochka U tactical missile systems:
    • for Ukrainian troops, from actual line of contact;
    • for armed formations of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine, from the contact line in accordance with the Minsk Memorandum as of 19 September 2014

The pullout of the above mentioned heavy weapons must start no later than the second day after the the start of the ceasefire and finish within 14 days.

This process will be assisted by OSCE with the support of the Trilateral Contact Group.

  1. Effective monitoring and verification of ceasefire regime and pullout of heavy weapons by OSCE will be provided from the first day of pullout, using all necessary technical means such as satellites, drones, radio-location systems etc.
  2. On the first day after the pullout a dialogue is to start on modalities of conducting local elections in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and the Law of Ukraine "On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts," and also about the future of these districts based on the above mentioned law.

Without delays, but no later than 30 days from the date of signing of this document, a resolution has to be approved by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, indicating the territory which falls under the special regime in accordance with the law "On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts," based in the line set up by the Minsk Memorandum as of 19 September 2014.

  1. Provide pardon and amnesty by way of enacting a law that forbids persecution and punishment of persons in relation to events that took place in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine.
  2. Provide release and exchange of all hostages and illegally held persons, based on the principle of "all for all". This process has to end – at the latest – on the fifth day after the pullout (of weapons).
  3. Provide safe access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian aid to the needy, based on an international mechanism.
  4. Define the modalities of a full restoration of social and economic connections, including social transfers, such as payments of pensions and other payments (income and revenue, timely payment of communal bills, restoration of tax payments within the framework of Ukrainian legal field).

With this aim, Ukraine will restore management over the segment of its banking system in the districts affected by the conflict, and possibly, an international mechanism will be established to ease such transactions.

  1. Restore control of the state border to the Ukrainian government in the whole conflict zone, which has to start on the first day after the local election and end after the full political regulation (local elections in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts based on the law of Ukraine and Constitutional reform) by the end of 2015, on the condition of fulfilment of Point 11 – in consultations and in agreement with representatives of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group.
  2. Pullout of all foreign armed formations, military equipment, and also mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under OSCE supervision. Disarmament of all illegal groups.
  3. Constitutional reform in Ukraine, with a new constitution to come into effect by the end of 2015, the key element of which is decentralisation (taking into account peculiarities of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, agreed with representatives of these districts), and also approval of permanent legislation on the special status of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in accordance with the measures spelt out in the attached footnote, by the end of 2015.
  4. Based on the Law of Ukraine "On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts", questions related to local elections will be discussed and agreed upon with representatives of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group. Elections will be held in accordance with relevant OSCE standards and monitored by OSCE/ODIHR.
  5. Intensify the work of the Trilateral Contact Group including through the establishment of working groups on the implementation of relevant aspects of the Minsk agreements. They will reflect the composition of the Trilateral Contact Group.

Notes

  1. The following measures are to be included in the Ukrainian law "On temporary Order of Local Self-Governance in Particular Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts":
    • Freedom from punishment, harassment, and discrimination of persons connected with the events that took place in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
    • Right of language self-determination
    • Participation of local self-government in the appointment of the heads of prosecutors' offices and courts in the particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
    • The possibility for central executive bodies to conclude agreements with relevant local authorities on economic, social, and cultural development of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
    • The state will provide support for the socio-economic development of particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
    • Assistance from central executive bodies for cross-border cooperation by particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts with regions of the Russian Federation
    • The freedom to create people's militia units by decision of local councils to maintain public order in particular districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
    • The powers of local council deputies and officials, elected in early elections, appointed by the Verkhovna Rada according to this law, cannot be prematurely terminated

Signatories

The document was signed by:

Aftermath

On February 13th Ukraine’s Right Sector leader Dmytro Yarosh posted on Facebook that his radical movement rejects the Minsk peace deal and that their paramilitary units in eastern Ukraine will continue “active fighting” according to their “own plans.”

Petro Poroshenko claims Ukraine will use this pause in hostilities to rearm the same way they did after Minsk I

References

  1. ^ "Ukraine crisis: Leaders agree peace roadmap". BBC News. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  2. "Ukraine ceasefire deal agreed at Belarus talks". The Guardian. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  3. "Breakthrough in Minsk as leaders agree to ceasefire deal on Ukraine". Euronews. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  4. ^ "OSCE Chairperson-in-Office gives full backing to Minsk package" (Press release). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  5. "EU Stands by Sanctions Against Russia After Ukraine Truce Sealed". Bloomberg News. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  6. "Ukraine forces admit loss of Donetsk airport to rebels". The Guardian. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Ukraine crisis: 'Last chance' for peace says Hollande". BBC News. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  8. "Putin Rejects Attempts to Contain Russia After Peace Talks Fail". Bloomberg News. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  9. "Western Nations Split on Arming Kiev". The New York Times. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  10. "'Glimmer of hope' for Ukraine after deal at Minsk peace summit". Reuters. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  11. "German foreign minister: Minsk deal not all we would have wished for". Yahoo News. Reuters. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  12. "Ukraine Peace Talks Yield Cease-Fire Deal". The Wall Street Journal. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  13. "Ukraine peace deal looks fragile in the extreme". The Guardian. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  14. Ingo Mannteufel (12 February 2015). "Minsk II leaves many questions unanswered". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  15. "Leaders in Ukraine Talks Announce Cease-Fire Agreement". The New York Times. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  16. ^ Ian Traynor (13 February 2015). "Putin tried to delay Ukraine ceasefire deal, EU summit told". The Guardian. Brussels. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  17. ^ "Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements" (Press release) (in Russian). Organizaiton for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  18. "Minsk agreement on Ukraine crisis: text in full". The Daily Telegraph. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  19. https://www.facebook.com/dyastrub/posts/782660468477506
  20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAVFhPu5fio

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