Ukraine cease-fire talks continue, overshadowed by fighting

Russian, Ukrainian and European leaders were holding peace talks in the Belarusian capital aimed at ending almost a year of conflict in Ukraine, with negotiations focused on how much authority to give to rebel-held eastern regions. While Russia signaled that a deal is likely, Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko said he won’t accept Russian demands that his country become a federation and is ready to impose martial law if the conflict deepens. Separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk presented a document setting conditions, including an end to Ukraine’s military operation in the region, by Feb. 23, according to the newspaper Dzerkalo Tyzhnya.

The whole world is waiting to see whether the situation will de-escalate and result in a cease-fire, a pullback of heavy weapons, or whether the situation will veer out of control.

Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko

Underscoring the urgency of the meeting, Ukraine’s military said 19 government soldiers had been killed in fighting around the embattled town of Debaltseve, and 78 wounded, during 107 rebel attacks in the previous 24 hours. Government forces retook six towns around the port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told reporters in Kiev on Wednesday. The surge in fighting in the 24 hours before the summit could have been intended to force Ukraine to accept a deal recognizing the rebel advance.

World ukraine summit