Ukraine ceasefire: Putin lays out 7-step plan to stop hostilities in E. Ukraine
Published time: September 03, 2014 12:19 Edited time: September 03, 2014 14:14 Get short URL <http://rt.com/news/184791-putin-ukraine-kiev-militia/> Russian President Vladimir Putin talks to journalists following Russian-Mongolian talks in Ulan-Bator. (RIA Novosti/Aleksey Nikolskyi) Kiev must withdraw troops from southeastern regions of Ukraine and rebels must stop offensive to stop bloodshed, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says. He and Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko discussed "a ceasefire regime." READ MORE: Kiev retracts 'permanent' ceasefire statement, says steps for establishing peace agreed <http://rt.com/news/184716-poroshenko-ceasefire-ukraine-putin/> President Putin has outlined a seven-point plan to stabilize the situation in the crisis-torn east of Ukraine. “On my way here from [the city of] Blagoveschensk to Ulan-Bator [Mongolia], I outlined some ideas and plan of actions. It’s here, but in handwriting,” Putin told reporters. 1. Militias should cease military advances in the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions. 2. Pro-Kiev armed forces should withdraw to a distance that excludes the possibility of shelling settlements. 3. Implement full and objective international control over ceasefire observation and monitoring. 4. Exclude the use of combat aircraft against civilians and villages. 5. Prisoner/captive-exchange via an ‘all-in-all’ formula, without preconditions. 6. Humanitarian corridors for refugees movement and delivery of humanitarian aid across Donetsk and Lugansk Regions. 7. Direct repair-crew access to destroyed social and transit infrastructure with supportive aid. Putin expressed hope that final agreements between Kiev and militia in southeastern Ukraine could be reached and secured at the coming meeting of the so-called contact group on September 5. “I hope the leaders of Ukraine will support the anticipated progress in bilateral relations,” Russia’s president said. He called on Ukraine to take an active part in the work of the contact group “for a final and comprehensive settlement of the situation in the southeastern Ukraine, of course, with full and unconditional assurance of the legitimate rights of the people who live there.” Commenting on the phone call with the Ukrainian president earlier on Wednesday, Putin stressed that their “views on ways to resolve the conflict are aligned.” So far, attempts at temporary ceasefires <http://rt.com/news/167560-putin-welcome-ukraine-ceasefire/> between Kiev and self-defense forces in the past months have failed to bring about any improvement in the situation in southeastern Ukraine. Each time fighting has continued, with both sides blaming each other for breaking the truce. 2,593 people have died <http://rt.com/news/184400-hrw-ukraine-indiscriminate-shelling/> in fighting in eastern Ukraine since mid-April, the UN reported last week. The military conflict that started this spring has displaced over a million Ukrainians, with the majority of them finding refuge in Russia. http://rt.com/news/184791-putin-ukraine-kiev-militia/
