A new peace roadmap aimed at ending the 10-month war between Ukraine and pro-Moscow rebels was agreed in Belarus Thursday, but Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that “big hurdles” remained.
Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged from the summit in the Belarussian capital Minsk, saying he, Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had agreed on the “main” points.
Putin said a ceasefire would take effect at midnight Kiev time on Sunday (2200 GMT on Saturday) and that heavy weapons would be withdrawn from frontlines of the conflict, which has already killed at least 5,300 people and driven a million people from their homes.
Hollande, described the deal as “a comprehensive political solution”, while Merkel spoke only of a “glimmer of hope”.
“I have no illusions. We have no illusions,” she said, adding that “much work” remained.
Hollande, Merkel and Poroshenko flew from Minsk to Brussels for a European Union summit, where the French leader said that it was essential to keep up pressure to ensure the accord’s success.“
The next few hours will be decisive as it could go either way,” Hollande said at an EU summit in Brussels fresh from the peace talks in Minsk, adding: “We will have to remain vigilant, to maintain the pressure and to press ahead.”
British Premier David Cameron said Putin should not expect any change to current sanctions against Moscow by the 28-nation EU unless he really changed his behaviour.
“If this is a genuine ceasefire then that would be welcome but what matters most of all is actions,” he added.