DONETSK, Ukraine (AP) — Residents of the Ukrainian city of Donetsk say they’ll believe it when they see it.
The city has been pounded daily by artillery since late May, as pro-Russia rebels battle government forces in eastern Ukraine. And residents aren’t ready to believe that a cease-fire will take effect under a peace deal that was worked out overnight by Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany.
Even as the peace talks took place, a Ukrainian military spokesman says Russia sent 50 tanks and a dozen heavy weapons into Ukraine overnight.
Lawmakers in Ukraine may not be ready to sign off on the deal. The Ukrainian parliament would have to give broad powers to the country’s eastern regions, as a condition for restoring Ukraine’s full control over its border with Russia.
There are other potential problems as well, with Russian and Ukrainian leaders not in full agreement on just what the plan involves.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that the agreement would bring a cease-fire beginning Sunday, as well as a special status for Ukraine’s separatist regions and provisions to address border concerns and humanitarian issues. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said there was no agreement on any autonomy for eastern Ukraine.
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154-c-18-(Nataliya Vasilyeva (nah-TAHL’-yuh vah-SEEL’-yeh-vuh), AP correspondent)-“for rebel regions”-AP correspondent Nataliya Vasilyeva reports after burning the midnight oil in Minsk, a deal on a ceasefire in Ukraine, as well as border control and heavy weapons pullback, has been reached. (12 Feb 2015)
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181-r-26-(Sound of Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking Russian, at news conference)–Sound of Russian President Vladimir Putin saying in Russian, “It was not the best night of my life, but it has been a good morning because we have managed to reach a major agreement” despite Ukraine’s unwillingness to speak directly with separatists. (12 Feb 2015)
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APPHOTO MOSB114: Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the media after the peace talks in Minsk, Belarus, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday emerged from marathon Ukraine peace talks by announcing a new cease-fire deal, but questions remained whether Ukraine and the pro-Russian rebels have agreed on its terms.(AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service) (12 Feb 2015)
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APPHOTO XIAS109: French President Francois Hollande, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hug each other after their marathon talks in Minsk, Belarus, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015. French President Francois Hollande says he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are committed to helping verify the cease-fire process in Ukraine, along with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Hollande said Thursday the announcement of a new cease-fire deal has come as a “relief to Europe.” (AP Photo/Kirill Kudryavtsev, Pool) (12 Feb 2015)
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