Russia backs 7-day unilateral ceasefire plan

Russia has accepted a unilateral seven-day ceasefire in Ukraine on behalf of the separatist leaders that it has been backing for the past two years. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, made the announcement on Wednesday in Kiev where he has been holding talks with the Ukrainian president. “Today we came here with the news that […]

Russia has accepted a unilateral seven-day ceasefire in Ukraine on behalf of the separatist leaders that it has been backing for the past two years.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s foreign minister, made the announcement on Wednesday in Kiev where he has been holding talks with the Ukrainian president.
“Today we came here with the news that with a commitment from Moscow, which reached us yesterday, starting tonight there will be a ceasefire on the part of the separatists, to start with for seven days, beginning at midnight,” he said.
Visiting Kiev with his German counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, France’s foreign minister, said an attempt to revive a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine from midnight could set the scene for agreement next week on further peace moves.
Ayrault said he also expected both sides to sign an agreement next week to withdraw their troops from the lines of conflict in three hotspots.