Ukraine Proposes Deployment of UN Peacekeepers, Russia Opposes

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko speaks during the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine sitting in Kiev, Ukraine, 18 February 2015. Photo: EPA

Russia expressed opposition to the earlier proposal of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko for the deployment of UN peacekeepers or EU police mission in order to enforce the Minsk ceasefire.

Poroshenko announced on Wednesday that Ukraine was planning to appeal to the UN and EU to deploy peacekeeping and security operation to the country.

His proposal was approved by Ukraine's national security and defence council at the emergency meeting on Wednesday, the BBC reports.

Although the ceasefire, which entered into force on February 15, has been largely observed, fighting continued in some parts of Ukraine, mainly around the vital transport hub of Debaltseve.

According to latest reports, 90 % of Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the town of Debaltseve, which has now firmly fallen under the control of the separatists, TASS news agency reports.

Russian Permanent Representative to UN Vitaly Churkin firmly opposed the Ukrainian proposal on Thursday, accusing Poroshenko of wanting to destroy the Minsk accords.

The leadership of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) also denounced the deployment of such forces, as this would represent a violation of the Minsk ceasefire.

The leaders of the four countries, who had negotiated the Minsk ceasefire, will discuss the latest developments in a telephone conversation on Thursday.

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