News Digest

Poroshenko warns Ukraine will defend itself if truce fails

President Petro Poroshenko warned Sunday that Ukraine must be ready to defend itself should a peace plan aimed at ending a five-month war with pro-Russian insurgents fall through. The pro-Western leader’s comments followed a warning by a top defence spokesman that Ukraine would not pull back its forces from the front line as required under a new truce until all sides put down their guns. A September 5 ceasefire was reinforced on Saturday in a European-mediated deal signed with separatist leaders and Russia that required all sides to halt fire within 24 hours and set up a 30-kilometre (20-mile) demilitarisation zone.

We must be ready to protect our country if the peace plan does not work. Believe me, we have the means to defend ourselves.

Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko

Poroshenko’s statements were aired only hours after thousands of Russians came out in Moscow for their first major protest march against the Kremlin’s involvement in Ukraine since the separatist uprising erupted in April. Some carried placards reading “forgive us Ukraine” while other demanded “jail for Putin” in chants that rang out through a crowd organisers put in the tens of thousands. Putin himself has stayed mum since the signing of Saturday’s peace memorandum in the Belarussian capital Minsk and the Moscow march made barely a mention in the state media.