Ukraine promises 'special status' for east, but no territorial concessions
President Poroshenko insisted today that there was no discussion of federalization or secession for eastern Ukraine. Rebel leaders said they were standing firm on independence.
President Poroshenko insisted today that there was no discussion of federalization or secession for eastern Ukraine. Rebel leaders said they were standing firm on independence.
A daily roundup of terrorism and security issues.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko promised today to propose a bill granting 鈥渟pecial status鈥� to rebellious regions in eastern Ukraine, in a bid to boost support for Kiev amid a shaky cease-fire.
But Mr. Poroshenko said that the east would remain part of Ukraine, underscoring his unwillingness to consider聽calls from Moscow and pro-Russian rebels for federalization. Kiev has long argued such a move would give the eastern region near complete autonomy and propel it toward secession.
鈥淯kraine will not make any concessions on issues of its territorial integrity,鈥� Poroshenko said in remarks during a nationally televised Cabinet meeting addressing the conflict that鈥檚 so far killed over 3,000, according to the Associated Press.
The president also said that 70 percent of Russian troops in Ukraine have left the country, something he said 鈥渟trengthens our hope鈥� for peace prospects, Reuters reports. Russia denies sending troops into Ukraine, a claim that Kiev and its Western supporters strongly dispute.
But Poroshenko also noted that聽"the cease-fire was not proving easy to maintain because 'terrorists' were constantly trying to provoke Kiev's forces."
The Ukrainian leader's speech comes as he faces mounting pressure in western Ukraine to prove that he did not negotiate away Ukraine鈥檚 territorial integrity during cease-fire talks last week, The Wall Street Journal reports.
It also comes as European Union officials meet in Brussels today to discuss a second set of sanctions against Russia聽that聽were to be announced earlier this week but were delayed to "assess the viability of a truce in Ukraine without risking further trade retaliation by Russia," Bloomberg notes.
Poroshenko gave few details as to what 鈥渟pecial status鈥� in the east would entail, but said it would be largely along the lines of the 12-point plan agreed to on Friday. But rebel leaders quickly pushed back.
A senior leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People鈥檚 Republic said that his group was not backing down from its demand for full independence from Kiev, the Journal reports:
海角大神 reported from Kiev Tuesday that the cease-fire, while officially holding for now,聽is not expected to last long.
Poroshenko also said today that rebels have released 700 Ukrainian prisoners, a number the rebels also took issue with, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Poroshenko also signed into law today a bill passed by Ukraine鈥檚 parliament last month that allows Kiev to put sanctions on Russian companies and individuals thought to be supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine.