Russia and Ukraine Agree to Ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine

[Beringia]

Photo, Ukrainian President Zelensky, French President Macron, Russian President Putin, the 4th seat should be with German Chancellor Merkel


https://www.democracynow.org/2019/12/10/headlines/russia_and_ukraine_agrees_to_ceasefire_in_eastern_ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky met in Paris Monday and agreed to a “full and comprehensive” ceasefire in eastern Ukraine by the end of this year. The ceasefire aims to end five-and-a-half years of fighting that has killed at least 13,000 people. Russia and Ukraine agreed to release all “conflict related detainees” by the end of the year and to resolve a dispute about Russian gas exports via pipelines that cross Ukraine. The two countries still disagree on the withdrawal of Russian-backed troops and elections in areas of Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed rebels.


(I would think these impeachment hearings have brought Ukraine into the spotlight which will help support Zelensky and keep Putin more under control).



https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/10/russia-and-ukraine-agree-to-ceasefire-by-the-end-of-2019.html

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in person for the first time on Monday.

A key sticking point between Russia and Ukraine is the order of events — and whether local elections should be held before or after Russian-backed forces have withdrawn from parts of the region.

“Russia has refused to move on the issue of sequencing, insisting its proxy forces will remain on the ground and in control of the border before local elections are held. Ukraine has insisted on the withdrawal of forces as a precondition to any political settlement,” Verisk Maplecroft’s McDowell said.

He added that “Moscow’s goal here is to rid itself of the burden of directly administering – and paying for – the Donbas while ensuring the region remains a vehicle for Russian influence in Ukraine, and a means of blocking further Ukrainian integration with the EU and NATO.”

[mitch96]

1. Knowing Russia the cease fire will end in.......... 3..........2............1............nt

[bluestarone]

2. Another photo op for putin

I believe NOTHING here

[Bayard]

3. Did Zelensky feel like he had a choice?

Wonder if Putin would have tried this shit with Obama?

[Beringia]

4. Zelensky was recently a comedic actor

It sounds like he has a mandate from the Ukrainian people.

I have no idea how Putin and Obama interact, who is the alpha. I mean, Putin lives to dominate, whereas Obama is a diplomat.

[Bayard]

5. I think I remember

That Obama looked Putin in the eye, and said--stay out of our elections (whether he added, "You little twit," or not, is a matter of conjecture.

[moondust]

6. Another one?

~
Since the start of the conflict there have been more than 20 ceasefires, each intended to remain in force indefinitely, but none of them stopped the violence.
~
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Donbass

Good luck.

[Beringia]

7. Ya, that's true

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. No reason to believe Putin will abide by this at all

Putin brought to the talks his long time advisor Vladislav Surkov.

Surkov has been Putin’s right hand man forever. He is the master of the disinformation strategies you’ve seen play out over the Internet in the past few years. There is no absolute truth in Surkov’s mind; everything can be bent and distorted for the purposes of an agenda.

Surkov was actually personally sanctioned by the West after Russia annexed Crimea and invaded Eastern Ukraine, so the fact that Putin brought him along to talks sponsored by the EU shows how little Putin cares about abiding by this deal.

You can actually see a slight sliver of Surkov in the picture in the post; he’s right over Putin’s shoulder at the very right edge of the photo.

[Beringia]

9. Well it is significant that Putin met with Zelensky for the 1st time

This is very public and is a message of some kind.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

10. Maybe. I don't know.

Putin met Poroshenko earlier at Minsk and clearly had no interest in abiding by that agreement, so I'm not sure if this will be any different.

Between Putin and Trump, poor Zelensky doesn't seem to have the benefit of any flexibility across the table.