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| Nato agrees on new 'spearhead' force amid Ukraine crisis | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Nato military alliance has agreed on a new "spearhead" force amid growing concern at the Ukraine crisis and the rise of Islamic State militants. | |
| The move was announced at a meeting of Nato leaders in Wales. | |
| Talks on a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine have begun, but more clashes were reported close to the city of Mariupol. | |
| Ukraine, Russia and pro-Russia rebels are attending the talks in Belarus, while Western countries ponder further sanctions on Russia. | Ukraine, Russia and pro-Russia rebels are attending the talks in Belarus, while Western countries ponder further sanctions on Russia. |
| The West accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow denies this. | The West accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow denies this. |
| More than 2,600 people have died during the five-month conflict. | More than 2,600 people have died during the five-month conflict. |
| The enhanced sanctions are expected to target Russian banking, energy and defence, as well as what British sources call "Putin cronies". | The enhanced sanctions are expected to target Russian banking, energy and defence, as well as what British sources call "Putin cronies". |
| But the UK says the sanctions will probably go ahead whether or not a ceasefire is agreed at the talks in the Belarus capital, Minsk. | But the UK says the sanctions will probably go ahead whether or not a ceasefire is agreed at the talks in the Belarus capital, Minsk. |
| "There is a great degree of scepticism about whether this action will materialise, whether the ceasefire will be real," UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said. | "There is a great degree of scepticism about whether this action will materialise, whether the ceasefire will be real," UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said. |
| "We can always take the sanctions off afterwards. I don't think we want to be distracted from our determination to impose further sanctions in response to Russia's major military adventure into Ukraine by these noises off about a possible ceasefire." | "We can always take the sanctions off afterwards. I don't think we want to be distracted from our determination to impose further sanctions in response to Russia's major military adventure into Ukraine by these noises off about a possible ceasefire." |
| Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told the BBC he was "absolutely not confident" that peace could be achieved at the Minsk talks but "Ukraine as a state and me as Ukrainian leader are doing everything possible to have peace." | Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told the BBC he was "absolutely not confident" that peace could be achieved at the Minsk talks but "Ukraine as a state and me as Ukrainian leader are doing everything possible to have peace." |
| A continuation of the conflict would lead to "humanitarian catastrophe", he said. | A continuation of the conflict would lead to "humanitarian catastrophe", he said. |
| On Wednesday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a seven-point plan, including a halt to "active offensive operations" by the Ukrainian military and pro-Russia rebels, international ceasefire monitoring, unconditional prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid corridors. | On Wednesday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a seven-point plan, including a halt to "active offensive operations" by the Ukrainian military and pro-Russia rebels, international ceasefire monitoring, unconditional prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid corridors. |
| 'Turbulent times' | 'Turbulent times' |
| At the Nato summit, Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the new force - part of Nato's Readiness Action Plan - would number several thousand and would be able to deploy anywhere in the world in a matter of days. | |
| "In these turbulent times, Nato must be prepared to undertake the full range of missions and protect allies against the full range of threats," he said. | "In these turbulent times, Nato must be prepared to undertake the full range of missions and protect allies against the full range of threats," he said. |
| "Should you even think of attacking one ally you will be facing the whole alliance." | |
| Nato member countries bordering Russia have watched Russia's involvement in Ukraine with growing concern. | |
| The UK has offered to contribute 1,000 personnel to the new force, which will have naval, air and special forces capability. | The UK has offered to contribute 1,000 personnel to the new force, which will have naval, air and special forces capability. |
| Mariupol shelling | Mariupol shelling |
| As the peace talks in Minsk got under way, fighting in eastern Ukraine continued. | |
| Ukrainian government forces and volunteers are trying to hold on to Mariupol on the Azov Sea. The BBC's Fergal Keane, in Mariupol, tweeted that pro-Russia forces seemed to be hitting Ukrainian positions some 4km (2.5 miles) outside the city. | Ukrainian government forces and volunteers are trying to hold on to Mariupol on the Azov Sea. The BBC's Fergal Keane, in Mariupol, tweeted that pro-Russia forces seemed to be hitting Ukrainian positions some 4km (2.5 miles) outside the city. |
| Large plumes of smoke could be seen as Ukrainian artillery fired back, he says. Ukrainian fighter jets also hit rebel positions. | Large plumes of smoke could be seen as Ukrainian artillery fired back, he says. Ukrainian fighter jets also hit rebel positions. |
| War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost | War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost |
| Richard Galpin reports from war-weary Donetsk | Richard Galpin reports from war-weary Donetsk |
| Ukrainian government forces have recently suffered losses of territory in both the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and further south around Mariupol, which lies between Russia and Crimea - annexed in March by Russia. | Ukrainian government forces have recently suffered losses of territory in both the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and further south around Mariupol, which lies between Russia and Crimea - annexed in March by Russia. |
| Gunfire and shelling was also heard on Friday in Donetsk, the rebels' main base. | Gunfire and shelling was also heard on Friday in Donetsk, the rebels' main base. |
| Volunteers with Ukraine's "Azov" battalion said they had begun a counter-offensive towards the rebel-held town of Novoazovsk, though this could not be independently confirmed. | Volunteers with Ukraine's "Azov" battalion said they had begun a counter-offensive towards the rebel-held town of Novoazovsk, though this could not be independently confirmed. |
| Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence and diplomatic correspondent | Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence and diplomatic correspondent |
| Nato's new Readiness Action Plan is the practical military response to the growing threats from around Nato's borders; not just from a resurgent Russia but also from the growing tide of instability in the Middle East. | Nato's new Readiness Action Plan is the practical military response to the growing threats from around Nato's borders; not just from a resurgent Russia but also from the growing tide of instability in the Middle East. |
| It is all about being able to get more capable forces to areas of threat faster than ever before. | It is all about being able to get more capable forces to areas of threat faster than ever before. |
| Existing rapid reaction forces will be re-vamped. A multi-national "spearhead" force with air, sea and land elements is to be established, capable of reinforcing a Nato ally within 48 hours. | Existing rapid reaction forces will be re-vamped. A multi-national "spearhead" force with air, sea and land elements is to be established, capable of reinforcing a Nato ally within 48 hours. |
| This will require some headquarters, logistics and other elements to be established in eastern Europe and some supplies will need to be pre-positioned. | This will require some headquarters, logistics and other elements to be established in eastern Europe and some supplies will need to be pre-positioned. |
| These reinforcement plans will also be extensively rehearsed through a stepped up pattern of exercises. | These reinforcement plans will also be extensively rehearsed through a stepped up pattern of exercises. |
| Intelligence gathering and analysis will be stepped up to give Nato planners a greater awareness of what is going on around the alliance's borders. | Intelligence gathering and analysis will be stepped up to give Nato planners a greater awareness of what is going on around the alliance's borders. |
| Nato leaders also discussed the growing threat of Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. | |
| An IS video released on Tuesday showed the killing of US journalist Steven Sotloff, just days after the group beheaded another American reporter, James Foley. | An IS video released on Tuesday showed the killing of US journalist Steven Sotloff, just days after the group beheaded another American reporter, James Foley. |
| In the latest video, an IS militant is seen threatening to kill a UK hostage, aid worker David Haines, who was seized in March 2013 in Syria's Idlib province. | In the latest video, an IS militant is seen threatening to kill a UK hostage, aid worker David Haines, who was seized in March 2013 in Syria's Idlib province. |
| Mr Rasmussen said Nato had pledged "seriously" to examine any plea by Iraq to fight IS militants. | Mr Rasmussen said Nato had pledged "seriously" to examine any plea by Iraq to fight IS militants. |
| The UK is deciding whether to arm the Kurds. | |
| Are you in eastern Ukraine? Has the recent violence affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in eastern Ukraine? Has the recent violence affected you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |