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Putin Outlines 7-Point Plan for Ukraine Cease-Fire Putin Lays Out Proposal to End Ukraine Conflict
(about 4 hours later)
KIEV, Ukraine — On the eve of a NATO summit focused on Russian aggression, President Vladimir V. Putin unveiled on Wednesday a seven-point peace plan for Ukraine while President Obama and other Western leaders tried to keep the spotlight on the Kremlin’s role in stoking the conflict there and the penalties it should suffer for doing so. KIEV, Ukraine — On the eve of a NATO summit meeting focused on Russian aggression, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia unveiled on Wednesday a seven-point peace plan for Ukraine while President Obama and other Western leaders tried to keep the spotlight on the Kremlin’s role in stoking the conflict there and the penalties it should suffer for doing so.
Never at a loss for theatrical flair, Mr. Putin announced soon after arriving on a state visit to Mongolia that he had sketched out the plan in flight, brandishing a notebook page on which the first point was that both sides “end active offensive operations.” Never at a loss for theatrical flair, Mr. Putin announced the plan soon after arriving on a state visit to Mongolia, brandishing a notebook page on which the first point was that both sides “end active offensive operations.”
But the plan seemed to raise more questions than it answered. First, there was no mechanism agreed for implementation. Second, just hours earlier the president’s own spokesman had repeated the Russian position, widely criticized as implausible, that Moscow could not negotiate a cease-fire because it was not a direct party to the conflict. Mr. Putin’s peace plan, jotted out during a plane ride over Siberia, muddied the diplomatic waters, leaving the West an excuse for delaying punitive sanctions that would also hurt European economies on the verge of a new recession. And it was expected to have some appeal to war-weary Ukrainians.
The timing of Mr. Putin’s announcement was lost on no one, however. The Russian leader managed to deflect some attention from President Obama’s speech in Tallinn, Estonia, where he made some of his harshest comments to date about the Kremlin’s armed intervention in Ukraine and hinted that NATO might now be willing to provide military assistance to Kiev. The ultimate effect, coming after Russian troops intervened in Ukraine last week to beat back a successful government offensive, may be to leave the country as a loose coalition that Moscow could still dominate, which critics of the Russian president say is his real aim.
NATO leaders, including President Obama, are to meet in Newport, Wales, on Thursday to discuss bolstering the alliance, including a new rapid deployment force designed to respond to future Russian military threats and a reaffirmation of its commitment to its smaller members. The timing of Mr. Putin’s announcement was lost on no one, however, as he and Western leaders engaged in a global chess game over the fate of Ukraine. In Tallinn, Estonia, Mr. Obama made some of his harshest comments to date about the Kremlin’s armed intervention in Ukraine and hinted that NATO might now be willing to provide military assistance to Kiev. France postponed delivery of one of two warships it is building for Russia.
In addition, European leaders are contemplating a fourth, harsher round of sanctions against Russia, with France announcing already on Wednesday that it was suspending the delivery of a new Mistral warship to Russia. Sanctions to date have not had any direct effect on most Russians, and Mr. Putin remains wildly popular, but the economy is sputtering. NATO leaders, including Mr. Obama, are to meet in Newport, Wales, on Thursday to discuss bolstering the alliance, including a new rapid deployment force intended to respond to future Russian military threats and a reaffirmation of its commitment to its smaller members. In addition, European leaders are contemplating a fourth, harsher round of sanctions against Russia.
The details of any peace deal in southeastern Ukraine were sketchy at best, entangled in complicated diplomacy and domestic politics. But it was clear from the various, somewhat confused and contradictory statements that Mr. Putin and the Ukrainian president, Petro O. Poroshenko, held an extensive discussion on the issue by telephone early Wednesday. Mr. Putin’s plan seemed to raise more questions than it answered. First, there was no mechanism for implementation. Second, just hours earlier, his own spokesman had repeated the Russian position, widely criticized as implausible, that Moscow could not negotiate a cease-fire because it was not a direct party to the conflict.
At first, Mr. Poroshenko’s office issued a vague announcement that the two leaders had agreed to a “lasting cease-fire.” The statement was diluted later to say only that both leaders had endorsed the need for a cease-fire and that Mr. Poroshenko hoped negotiations would begin in earnest on Friday. Mr. Putin said his jottings emerged from the telephone conversation. Analysts suggested that Mr. Putin’s strategy is to convince Kiev that it has no choice but to negotiate, not fight, and to reinforce the idea that the overall outcome depended on Moscow.
In announcing the plan, Mr. Putin said he expected Ukraine and the separatists to wrap up an agreement along those lines after the new round of negotiations in Minsk, Belarus, on Friday. Ukraine, Russia and Europe are all party to the talks there, and they include representatives of the separatists. The two-day NATO summit is scheduled to end the same day. “Russia wants to show that it is in command of what is happening,” said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of a prominent Russian foreign policy journal. “For Russia, it is important first to prevent the Ukrainians from thinking that they could win militarily, and to accept the separatist leaders as partners in negotiations.”
The details of the peace deal were sketchy at best, entangled in complicated diplomacy and domestic politics. But it was clear from various, somewhat confused and contradictory statements that Mr. Putin and the Ukrainian president, Petro O. Poroshenko, held an extensive discussion on the issue by telephone early Wednesday.
At first, Mr. Poroshenko’s office issued a vague announcement that the two leaders had agreed to a “lasting cease-fire.” The statement was diluted later to say only that both leaders had endorsed the need for a cease-fire and that Mr. Poroshenko hoped negotiations would begin in earnest on Friday. Mr. Putin said his notes emerged from the telephone conversation.
In announcing the plan, Mr. Putin said he expected Ukraine and the separatists to wrap up an agreement after a new round of negotiations in Minsk, Belarus, on Friday. Ukraine, Russia and Europe are all party to the talks there, and they include representatives of the separatists. The two-day NATO summit meeting is also scheduled to end Friday.
Aside from the cease-fire, the plan laid out by Mr. Putin called for Ukrainian artillery to pull back and out of range of the eastern separatists’ strongholds; an end to airstrikes; an exchange of all detainees; opening up humanitarian corridors for residents of the separatist areas; repairing damaged infrastructure; and deploying international observers to monitor the cease-fire.Aside from the cease-fire, the plan laid out by Mr. Putin called for Ukrainian artillery to pull back and out of range of the eastern separatists’ strongholds; an end to airstrikes; an exchange of all detainees; opening up humanitarian corridors for residents of the separatist areas; repairing damaged infrastructure; and deploying international observers to monitor the cease-fire.
It made no mention of autonomy for the separatist eastern regions, the central political demand that Russia has emphasized since March. That is widely seen as critical to the Kremlin’s long-term goal of maintaining influence over Ukraine’s domestic affairs and blocking any future attempt to join NATO.It made no mention of autonomy for the separatist eastern regions, the central political demand that Russia has emphasized since March. That is widely seen as critical to the Kremlin’s long-term goal of maintaining influence over Ukraine’s domestic affairs and blocking any future attempt to join NATO.
A previous cease-fire collapsed after 10 days in June, and a long line of critics starting with President Obama gave little hope that this plan might succeed. A previous cease-fire collapsed after 10 days in June, and a long line of critics starting with Mr. Obama gave little hope that this plan might succeed.
“We haven’t seen a lot of follow-up on so-called announced cease-fires,” Mr. Obama told a news conference in Estonia. “Having said that, if in fact Russia is prepared to stop financing, arming, training — in many cases joining with Russian troops — activities in Ukraine and is serious about a political settlement, that is something we all hope for.”“We haven’t seen a lot of follow-up on so-called announced cease-fires,” Mr. Obama told a news conference in Estonia. “Having said that, if in fact Russia is prepared to stop financing, arming, training — in many cases joining with Russian troops — activities in Ukraine and is serious about a political settlement, that is something we all hope for.”
Mr. Obama devoted his main speech to a scathing attack on Russia’s actions against Ukraine. Mr. Obama devoted his main speech in Estonia to a scathing attack on Russia’s actions against Ukraine. “It is a brazen assault on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, a sovereign and independent European nation,” he said in the speech to more than 1,800 students, young professionals, and civic and political leaders at a concert hall. “It challenges that most basic of principles of our international system: that borders cannot be redrawn at the barrel of a gun; that nations have the right to determine their own future.”
“It is a brazen assault on the territorial integrity of Ukraine, a sovereign and independent European nation,” the American president said in a speech to more than 1,800 students, young professionals and civic and political leaders at a concert hall. “It challenges that most basic of principles of our international system: that borders cannot be redrawn at the barrel of a gun; that nations have the right to determine their own future.” Rejecting Mr. Putin’s frequent denials of intervention in Ukraine and his assertion that the Russian presence there is part of a humanitarian or peacekeeping mission, Mr. Obama said it was clear that Moscow was responsible for escalating tensions. “It’s been the pro-Russian separatists who are encouraged by Russia, financed by Russia, trained by Russia, supplied by Russia and armed by Russia,” he said.
Rejecting Mr. Putin’s frequent denials of intervention in Ukraine and his assertion that the Russian presence there is part of a humanitarian or peacekeeping mission, Mr. Obama said it was clear Moscow was responsible for escalating tensions. “It’s been the pro-Russian separatists who are encouraged by Russia, financed by Russia, trained by Russia, supplied by Russia and armed by Russia,” he said. Mr. Obama said that any assault on the Baltic States, former Soviet republics just like Ukraine, but which unlike Ukraine are now members of NATO, would be met by force. “We’ll be here for Estonia, we’ll be here for Latvia, we’ll be here for Lithuania,” the president said. “You lost your independence once before. With NATO, you will never lose it again.”
Mr. Obama said that any assault on the Baltic States, Soviet republics just like Ukraine, but unlike Ukraine now members of NATO, would be met by force. “We’ll be here for Estonia. We’ll be here for Latvia. We’ll be here for Lithuania,” the president said. “You lost your independence once before. With NATO, you will never lose it again.” President François Hollande of France, in a statement about the delayed delivery of the warship to Russia, said he had decided that, despite the prospects of a possible cease-fire in Ukraine, “the conditions for France to deliver the first warship are not to date in place.” The decision was one of the most concrete indications yet of the willingness of Western governments to become more assertive in confronting Russia, despite concerns that the European economy could be further hurt.
In Kiev, the idea of a cease-fire was received with mixed emotions. Russia sought to play down the significance of the delay.In Kiev, the idea of a cease-fire was received with mixed emotions.
There is open hostility to the idea that Russia will be able to dictate terms to its weaker neighbor after already wrenching away the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in March. Any compromise after months of condemning the separatists as “terrorists” risks weakening Mr. Poroshenko in central and western Ukraine. There is open hostility to the idea that Russia will be able to dictate terms to its weaker neighbor after already wrenching away the Crimean peninsula in March. Any compromise after months of condemning the separatists as “terrorists” risks weakening Mr. Poroshenko in central and western Ukraine.
Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk called Mr. Putin’s proposal “an attempt to confuse the international community” before the NATO summit and the expected announcement of new sanctions from the European Union. Prime Minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk called Mr. Putin’s proposal “an attempt to confuse the international community” before the NATO summit meeting and the expected announcement of new sanctions from the European Union.
“Putin’s real plan is the destruction of Ukraine and the resumption of the U.S.S.R.,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said, according to a statement posted on a government website. Peace will come only once Russia withdraws its troops and proxy force, it said.“Putin’s real plan is the destruction of Ukraine and the resumption of the U.S.S.R.,” Mr. Yatsenyuk said, according to a statement posted on a government website. Peace will come only once Russia withdraws its troops and proxy force, it said.
But many Ukrainians are weary of the violence, horrified by the mounting human toll of more than 2,600 dead and uneasy about the economic costs for a country already teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Winter is approaching, and the other confrontation with Russia, over gas sales, seems unlikely to be resolved while fighting rages in the east. But many Ukrainians want an end to the violence, horrified by the mounting human toll of more than 2,600 dead and uneasy about the economic costs for a country already teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Winter is approaching, and the other confrontation with Russia, over gas sales, seems unlikely to be resolved while fighting rages in the east.
“We are in a situation where any kind of cease-fire would be progress,” said Olexander Scherba, an ambassador at large in the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. “Last week was devastating after Russia started this open invasion of Ukraine.”“We are in a situation where any kind of cease-fire would be progress,” said Olexander Scherba, an ambassador at large in the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. “Last week was devastating after Russia started this open invasion of Ukraine.”
Russia has repeatedly denied sending troops or arms to Ukraine, but last week separatist forces were able to open a new front along the coast and to break the Ukrainian forces’ siege of the separatist centers of Donetsk and Luhansk. Russia has repeatedly denied sending troops or arms to Ukraine, but last week, separatist forces opened a new front along the coast and broke the Ukrainian forces’ siege of the separatist centers of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Analysts suggested that Mr. Putin first bolstered the militias last week in order to convince Kiev that it had to negotiate, not fight, and that Mr. Putin’s peace plan was meant to reinforce the idea that the overall outcome depended on Moscow.
“Russia wants to show that it is in command of what is happening,” said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of a prominent Russian foreign policy journal. “For Russia, it is important first to prevent the Ukrainians from thinking that they could win militarily, and to accept the separatist leaders as partners in negotiations.”
There is a long road ahead before any real settlement can be reached, analysts noted. Moscow does not fully control the separatists, nor is it clear that Kiev can automatically rein in the armed militias it has unleashed alongside its military in the east.There is a long road ahead before any real settlement can be reached, analysts noted. Moscow does not fully control the separatists, nor is it clear that Kiev can automatically rein in the armed militias it has unleashed alongside its military in the east.
Vladislav Brig, a senior official in the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, said by telephone that the rebels expected Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the entire region as a condition for peace. “The negotiating side here is not Russia. It is the Donetsk People’s Republic,” he said. “We will stop the offensive when Ukrainian troops leave our territory.” Vladislav Brig, a senior official in the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, said by telephone that the rebels expected Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the entire region as a condition for peace. “The negotiating side here is not Russia; it is the Donetsk People’s Republic,” he said. “We will stop the offensive when Ukrainian troops leave our territory.”
Ukraine has said repeatedly that it will not contemplate a full withdrawal from the Donbass region. “It depends on Russia,” Mr. Scherba said. “Russia is the one that started this and can bring it to an end.”Ukraine has said repeatedly that it will not contemplate a full withdrawal from the Donbass region. “It depends on Russia,” Mr. Scherba said. “Russia is the one that started this and can bring it to an end.”