West urges caution on Ukraine ceasefire

The European Union and United States have expressed caution over a ceasefire deal between Kiev and Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, insisting that sanctions against Russia must be tightened to make it stick.

Fighting appeared to stop as planned across Luhansk and Donetsk regions yesterday evening, following agreement on a plan that envisages a pulling back of troops, prisoner exchange and delivery of humanitarian aid to war-damaged areas.

“Today, the United States and Europe are finalising measures to deepen and broaden our sanctions,” US president Barack Obama said after a Nato summit in Wales.

The sanctions – which were expected to target Russia’s defence, energy and financial sectors – offered “a more likely way for us to ensure that there is follow-through” on the ceasefire, said Mr Obama.

“The only reason that we’re seeing this ceasefire at this moment is because of both the sanctions that have already been applied and the threat of further sanctions,” he added, while expressing fears for lasting peace in Ukraine.

“Obviously we are hopeful but based on past experience also sceptical, that in fact the separatists will follow through and the Russians will stop violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. So it has to be tested,” Mr Obama warned.

Merkel perspective

German chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU had “to see whether this ceasefire is being applied. Do Russian troops withdraw, so far as they’re there? Are there buffer zones and things like that – a lot of things will have to be sorted out. If certain processes get underway, we are prepared to suspend sanctions.”

Ukraine’s pro-western government says its forces were poised to defeat the rebels before Russia reinforced their ranks with serving soldiers and heavy weaponry. Moscow denies the claim.

"The peace plan must include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of the Russian army, bandits and terrorists, and the re-establishment of the border," said Ukraine's prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, adding that Kiev needed US and EU support because his country could "not manage with Russia on our own".

‘Longing for peace’

The ceasefire was agreed in Belarus by representatives of Ukraine and the militants – who want southeast Ukraine to join Russia – at talks also attended by envoys from Russia and the 57-state Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

"The entire world longs for peace, the whole of Ukraine longs for peace," said Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko.

He said the 12-point peace protocol included steps agreed with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and foresaw talks on Kiev's offer to "ensure significant steps on de-centralisation of power, special status . . . [for Donetsk and Luhansk] in the context of economic freedom, guarantee of free use of languages and cultural traditions."

Separatist unrest flared after a revolution ousted Donetsk-born president Viktor Yanukovich, and many in eastern Ukraine feared the country's new pro-western leaders would discriminate against the mostly Russian-speaking region.

The militants welcomed the ceasefire deal, but made clear it would not weaken their determination to split with Kiev.