Germany, Russia welcome prospect of talks with Kyiv
October 3, 2019
News of a potential breakthrough to end the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has been greeted as a positive step in Moscow and Berlin. Opposition in Kyiv, however, called it capitulation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who agreed to allow local elections in the contested Donbass regions of Luhansk and Donetsk to pave the way for new negotiations, said it was a major step toward resolving a conflict that has killed 13,000 people.
A spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the breakthrough an "important step," adding, "We welcome in particular the commitment of Ukrainian President Zelenskiy, who took constructive steps forward in the interest of a peaceful solution in Donbass."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov underscored the positive aspect of both sides agreeing to the so-called Steinmeier formula — named for a plan put forth by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier — ahead of talks in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Minsk was also the site of the original 2015 peace agreement between Russia and Ukriane. The deal was mediated by France and Germany.
Tuesday's breakthrough has raised hopes that a new round of negotiations between Zelenskiy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will soon go forward.
On Tuesday, Macron said he hoped that such a "Normandy format" summit could happen within weeks.
Those sanctions, leveled by the US and the EU for Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and backing of separatists in the Donbass, have been disastrous for the Russian economy.
'The Putin formula'
Not everyone, however, reacted so positively to the news. Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called the new approach "the Putin formula," saying it played into the Russian leader's hands by opening the prospect of lifting sanctions.
Yulia Tymoshenko, a former Ukrainian prime minister, warned that the deal could end with Ukraine becoming a "Russian colony."
War crimes in Ukraine?
A new UN report accuses pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine of possible war crimes. The authors also accuse the Ukrainian army of having done wrong there.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
The war enters the cities
Fighting between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army has intensified around the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk. The situation for the local population keeps getting worse, the UN Human Rights Commission finds. It especially accuses the pro-Russian separatists of severe crimes.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
In mourning for father and son
More than 1,100 people have been killed in the fighting since mid-April, according to the UN. Not just armed fighters, but also countless civilians, among them many children, have lost their lives. These people grieve for a father and his little son who died in artillery fire near Luhansk.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Heavy weaponry in residential areas
Civilians often get caught in the crossfire, according to the UN. Heavy weaponry is being employed in densely populated areas not just by the separatists, like here in Donetsk, but also by the Ukrainian army. The United Nations urge all sides to exercise better measures of precaution to protect civilians’ lives.
Image: Getty Images
Reign of terror by separatists
The report accuses the pro-Russian separatists of abducting, torturing and executing people. The separatists are "rough and brutal" as well as "well-equipped and organized" and often under the command of Russian nationals, according to the UN Human Rights Commission. The UN body has 39 observers on the ground and has documented more than 800 cases of abductions by separatists since mid-April.
Image: picture-alliance/AP
Fleeing the East
More than 100,000 people have had to leave their homes. Many live in emergency shelters, like here in Kharkiv, to escape the terror of the separatists and the fighting. There are also reports about Russian-speaking residents of eastern Ukraine who have fled to neighboring Russia.
Image: DW/A. Ainduchowa
Shooting down MH17: a war crime
On July 17, a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crashed in eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board were killed. The passenger jet was most probably shot down by pro-Russian separatists. That could be interpreted as a war crime, said UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Justice in The Hague?
Those responsible could face charges before the International Criminal Court. The UN Human Rights Commissioner warns: anybody violating international law will be brought to justice. That also applies to foreign fighters involved in the conflict.
