Uncertainly surrounded Ukraine peace talks taking place in Belarus, as conflicting reports emerged Thursday morning from the marathon overnight session.
While Russian state media reported that talks between Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany had ended and leaders were expected to sign a 10-point agreement, Ukraine’s President begged to differ.
“There is no good news yet,” Petro Poroshenko said, according to a government Twitter account.
Any deal is expected to cover the withdrawal of heavy weapons, the creation of a demilitarized zone and the future status of the Donbass area in eastern Ukraine.
The leaders are working toward achieving a ceasefire in the next 48 hours, Russia’s state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Representatives of the four nations involved have not commented on the status of the talks.
Earlier, RIA Novosti reported that the negotiators have “agreed by 80%,” following an all-night session in Minsk, Belarus. What’s uncertain is what’s in the remaining 20%.
“It gives the impression at the moment that they have not been able to reach a full deal, that they are prepared or preparing to park this deal whereby a significant percentage of an agreement has been made,” CNN’s Nic Robertson reported from Minsk.
The stakes are high in these talks.
Not only has war raged for months in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian rebels angry about political upheaval in Kiev have declared their independence, but it’s getting worse, threatening not only the lives of more civilians, but the stability of the region.
A previous deal was signed in September, also in Minsk. It called for a drawback of heavy weapons, self-rule in the eastern regions and a buffer zone along the Russia-Ukraine border.
The September agreement quickly disintegrated, and the violence continued.
The new plan envisions a much broader demilitarized zone to run along the current front lines.
Russia has steadfastly denied accusations that it is sending forces and weapons into Ukraine. But top Western and Ukrainian leaders have said there isn’t any doubt that Russia is behind surging violence and separatists’ efforts to take over territory in eastern Ukraine.
All the while, the crisis in Ukraine, which stemmed from a trade agreement, has forced more than 1.5 million people from their homes, according to the United Nations.
