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| Ukraine Insists Any Pact With Russia Must Adhere to Terms of September Accord | Ukraine Insists Any Pact With Russia Must Adhere to Terms of September Accord |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — As the leaders of Germany and France prepared to travel to Moscow on Friday to press President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on a deal to end the war in eastern Ukraine, officials in Kiev insisted that any agreement must hold to the cease-fire lines and to other terms of a truce negotiated in September. | KIEV, Ukraine — As the leaders of Germany and France prepared to travel to Moscow on Friday to press President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on a deal to end the war in eastern Ukraine, officials in Kiev insisted that any agreement must hold to the cease-fire lines and to other terms of a truce negotiated in September. |
| The Ukrainian position underscored the formidable obstacles to an accord to end the fighting between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists that has killed more than 5,000 people and displaced more than one million, the worst violence on the European Continent since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. | The Ukrainian position underscored the formidable obstacles to an accord to end the fighting between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists that has killed more than 5,000 people and displaced more than one million, the worst violence on the European Continent since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. |
| Mr. Putin, in letters this week to the French president, François Hollande, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, had put forward a proposal that apparently included shifts in the cease-fire boundaries based on recent gains by pro-Russian separatist fighters, diplomats said. The proposal also included a plan to grant political autonomy to the embattled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. | Mr. Putin, in letters this week to the French president, François Hollande, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, had put forward a proposal that apparently included shifts in the cease-fire boundaries based on recent gains by pro-Russian separatist fighters, diplomats said. The proposal also included a plan to grant political autonomy to the embattled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. |
| Western officials briefed on Mr. Putin’s plan described it as a nonstarter that would turn eastern Ukraine into another post-Soviet frozen-conflict zone, like Abkhazia along the border with Georgia or the pro-Russian breakaway Transnistria region of Moldova, where the Kremlin maintains several thousand troops, ostensibly as a peacekeeping force. | Western officials briefed on Mr. Putin’s plan described it as a nonstarter that would turn eastern Ukraine into another post-Soviet frozen-conflict zone, like Abkhazia along the border with Georgia or the pro-Russian breakaway Transnistria region of Moldova, where the Kremlin maintains several thousand troops, ostensibly as a peacekeeping force. |
| In a television interview shortly after Mr. Hollande and Ms. Merkel met with President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine for five hours on Thursday night, a senior Ukrainian official said the leaders were focused entirely on implementing the lapsed accord, negotiated in Minsk, Belarus. | In a television interview shortly after Mr. Hollande and Ms. Merkel met with President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine for five hours on Thursday night, a senior Ukrainian official said the leaders were focused entirely on implementing the lapsed accord, negotiated in Minsk, Belarus. |
| Contrary to Mr. Hollande’s statement on Thursday that he and Ms. Merkel were headed to Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, to present a new proposal, the Ukrainian official, Valeriy Chaly, who is Mr. Poroshenko’s senior aide on foreign affairs, said the European leaders arrived with no new plan and instead the meeting focused on the need to put in effect the provisions of the Minsk truce. | Contrary to Mr. Hollande’s statement on Thursday that he and Ms. Merkel were headed to Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, to present a new proposal, the Ukrainian official, Valeriy Chaly, who is Mr. Poroshenko’s senior aide on foreign affairs, said the European leaders arrived with no new plan and instead the meeting focused on the need to put in effect the provisions of the Minsk truce. |
| “There are no secrets,” Mr. Chaly said in an interview on the 1+1 television channel. “The negotiations in different formats have lasted for more than five hours today. The basis for these negotiations wasn’t any ‘Putin document.’ It was the production of a vision for the implementation of the Minsk agreements by the delegations, or commands, of all sides, including Ukrainian side, French, German sides. This is the main basis, which nobody denies.” | “There are no secrets,” Mr. Chaly said in an interview on the 1+1 television channel. “The negotiations in different formats have lasted for more than five hours today. The basis for these negotiations wasn’t any ‘Putin document.’ It was the production of a vision for the implementation of the Minsk agreements by the delegations, or commands, of all sides, including Ukrainian side, French, German sides. This is the main basis, which nobody denies.” |
| In a statement issued after 1 a.m. on Friday, Mr. Poroshenko said the leaders were adamant about the importance of the main terms of the Minsk accord. | In a statement issued after 1 a.m. on Friday, Mr. Poroshenko said the leaders were adamant about the importance of the main terms of the Minsk accord. |
| “The three leaders called for an immediate cease-fire, withdrawal of foreign troops from Ukraine, withdrawal of heavy weapons and equipment, closing the border and the release of all hostages,” Mr. Poroshenko’s statement said. He added that they were also calling for the release of a Ukrainian helicopter pilot, Nadezhda Savchenko, who is being held in prison in Russia. | |
| Speaking to reporters in Berlin before leaving for Moscow on Friday, Ms. Merkel sought to dampen expectations that the talks there would result in a cease-fire, and raised the possibility that further discussions would be necessary. | Speaking to reporters in Berlin before leaving for Moscow on Friday, Ms. Merkel sought to dampen expectations that the talks there would result in a cease-fire, and raised the possibility that further discussions would be necessary. |
| “We are convinced there will be no military solution to the conflict,” the chancellor said. “We know, however, that it remains completely open whether we will be able to reach a cease-fire through these talks.” | “We are convinced there will be no military solution to the conflict,” the chancellor said. “We know, however, that it remains completely open whether we will be able to reach a cease-fire through these talks.” |
| “I would like to add that François Hollande and I are not engaging as neutral mediators, but we represent our French and German, but above all European, interests,” Ms. Merkel said. She added that she had also consulted with Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council. | “I would like to add that François Hollande and I are not engaging as neutral mediators, but we represent our French and German, but above all European, interests,” Ms. Merkel said. She added that she had also consulted with Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council. |
| Washington and NATO have been more open to the possibility of sending arms to Ukraine. Speaking at a security conference in Munich on Friday, NATO's top commander, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, said that military support should not be excluded if economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure fail to persuade Russia to cease its mlitary support for the separatists in Ukraine. | |
| “What we need to accept is that there is a large tool bag that we can use,” said General Breedlove, who is an American Air Force general. | |
| His comments were consistent with those of Ashton B. Carter, Mr. Obama’s choice for defense secretary, who told Congress earlier this week that he was inclined to support providing arms to Ukraine. Chuck Hagel, who is leaving his post as defense secretary, also supports the provision of defensive arms to Ukraine. (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/02/world/us-taking-a-fresh-look-at-arming-kiev-forces.html) | |
| The White House has been much more cautious, and President Obama is waiting until Chanellor Merkel visits Washington on Monday before deciding. | |
| Germany's defense minister, Ursula von der Leyen, argued against supplying Ukraine with weapons, saying that, in contrast to Islamic State jihadists, it was possible to negotiate with Russia. Germany sees Ukraine and Russia as a chance to prove that in the 21st century, developed nations should solve disputes at the negotiating table, she said. | |
| Russia, she noted, has an almost infinite supply of weapons it could send in to Ukraine. She questioned whether any effort by the West could match that or, more importantly, achieve the outcome sought by Ukraine and its supporters. | |
| Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., meeting with European officials in Brussels, said Mr. Putin “continues to call for new peace plans as his troops roll through the Ukrainian countryside and he absolutely ignores every agreement that his country has signed in the past,” according to The Associated Press. | Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., meeting with European officials in Brussels, said Mr. Putin “continues to call for new peace plans as his troops roll through the Ukrainian countryside and he absolutely ignores every agreement that his country has signed in the past,” according to The Associated Press. |
| Mr. Biden said that Russia should not be allowed to redraw the map of Europe and that the European Union and the United States should provide the government of Ukraine with financial and political aid. | Mr. Biden said that Russia should not be allowed to redraw the map of Europe and that the European Union and the United States should provide the government of Ukraine with financial and political aid. |
| Separately, the European Union is prepared to expand its list of Russian and Ukrainian individuals and entities subject to sanctions over the Ukraine invasion, news services reported. | Separately, the European Union is prepared to expand its list of Russian and Ukrainian individuals and entities subject to sanctions over the Ukraine invasion, news services reported. |
| Among the 19 individuals are five Russians, including members of Parliament and officials of the Defense Ministry. The new sanctions are expected to be approved on Monday. | Among the 19 individuals are five Russians, including members of Parliament and officials of the Defense Ministry. The new sanctions are expected to be approved on Monday. |
| The Ukrainian leadership seems increasingly concerned with maintaining unity with its Western allies and with keeping alive the possibility that the Obama administration would supply weapons to the beleaguered Ukrainian military. | The Ukrainian leadership seems increasingly concerned with maintaining unity with its Western allies and with keeping alive the possibility that the Obama administration would supply weapons to the beleaguered Ukrainian military. |
| An official in the Ukrainian presidential administration, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Mr. Kerry had promised that Washington would make a decision soon about supplying weapons, perhaps even by next week. | An official in the Ukrainian presidential administration, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Mr. Kerry had promised that Washington would make a decision soon about supplying weapons, perhaps even by next week. |
| Mr. Poroshenko, who was scheduled to fly to Munich for an annual security conference Friday afternoon, delayed his departure to stay in Kiev and monitor the unfolding talks in Moscow. | Mr. Poroshenko, who was scheduled to fly to Munich for an annual security conference Friday afternoon, delayed his departure to stay in Kiev and monitor the unfolding talks in Moscow. |
| As the security conference got under way, the German defense minister, Ursula von der Leyen, came under pressure over German refusal to supply Ukraine with weapons. | As the security conference got under way, the German defense minister, Ursula von der Leyen, came under pressure over German refusal to supply Ukraine with weapons. |
| Stressing that it was important to remain united in Europe over Ukraine, Ms. von der Leyen argued that negotiations with Russia, unlike with Islamic State jihadists, were possible. Germany sees Ukraine and Russia as a chance to prove that in the 21st century, developed nations should solve disputes at the negotiating table, not with weapons, she said. | Stressing that it was important to remain united in Europe over Ukraine, Ms. von der Leyen argued that negotiations with Russia, unlike with Islamic State jihadists, were possible. Germany sees Ukraine and Russia as a chance to prove that in the 21st century, developed nations should solve disputes at the negotiating table, not with weapons, she said. |
| In addition, she noted, Russia has an almost infinite supply of weapons it could send in to Ukraine. She questioned whether any effort by the West could match that or, more importantly, achieve the outcome sought by Ukraine and its supporters. | In addition, she noted, Russia has an almost infinite supply of weapons it could send in to Ukraine. She questioned whether any effort by the West could match that or, more importantly, achieve the outcome sought by Ukraine and its supporters. |
| The obstacles to a deal were further highlighted Thursday when the Kremlin’s top spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, repeated Russia’s longstanding denials that any of its military personnel were on the ground in eastern Ukraine. That prompted the Ukrainian prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, to respond mockingly at a news conference in Kiev, “If they need, I can give them my glasses.” | The obstacles to a deal were further highlighted Thursday when the Kremlin’s top spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, repeated Russia’s longstanding denials that any of its military personnel were on the ground in eastern Ukraine. That prompted the Ukrainian prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, to respond mockingly at a news conference in Kiev, “If they need, I can give them my glasses.” |
| “We are not fighting with rebels or guerrillas,” he added. “We are fighting with the regular Russian military.” | “We are not fighting with rebels or guerrillas,” he added. “We are fighting with the regular Russian military.” |