Ukrainian president: Rebel areas offered greater autonomy but stay part of country
Ukraine’s leader: Rebel areas offered more autonomy but will remain part of country
(about 5 hours later)
MARIUPOL, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Wednesday that rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine could be granted greater autonomy, but vowed they will always remain part of the country.
MOSCOW — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Wednesday that rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine could be granted greater autonomy, but pro-Russian separatists repeated demands that they be given full independence.
In a wide-ranging speech to his cabinet in Ukraine’s capital Kiev, Poroshenko stressed that pro-Russian rebels must consider potential political compromises as the next step after a tenuous cease-fire took hold last week.
In remarks to his cabinet in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, Poroshenko stressed that pro-Russian rebels must consider political compromises as the next step after a tenuous cease-fire took effect Friday.
The “fate of peace” depends on it, Poroshenko said.
The “fate of peace” depends on it, Poroshenko said. He said he would introduce legislation next week on the status of the rebel-held regions to give them more local power, although he offered few details.
He also made clear, however, how far Ukraine was willing to go: Rejecting any kind of federal-style special status for the contested region.
The prospect of handing over any amount of control to the rebels is deeply unpopular among many of Poroshenko’s pro-European allies even though it appears to be the main condition of the cease-fire deal.
Poroshenko gave no firm details about the possible expanded autonomy plan, which could be outlined in draft legislation as early as next week.
He asked the cabinet to help preserve the peace in eastern Ukraine.
But a previous peace plan proposed protection of the Russian language, joint patrols of national and local police and more power for Russian-speaking locals to choose their representatives in Kiev.
“Perhaps we will not be happy with the composition of local deputies elected by residents of Luhansk and Donetsk in early elections to municipal and district councils. But isn’t it better to administer policy through ballots instead of automatic gunfire and Grad volleys?” he said, referring to the truck-mounted Grad multiple rocket systems that both sides have used to inflict devastation.
The separatists have demanded full independence, and it’s unclear whether the autonomy proposals would go far enough.
The cease-fire, meanwhile, appeared largely to hold despite sporadic clashes. Poroshenko said Russia had pulled back about 70 percent of the troops who Ukraine and Western allies claimed had crossed the border. Russia has denied sending troops into Ukraine.
The cease-fire, meanwhile, appeared largely to hold after nearly a week despite sporadic clashes. Poroshenko also noted progress in prisoner exchanges, saying about 700 captured Ukrainians had been released by the rebels and another 500 could be freed later this week.
In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged European Union partners to quickly impose new sanctions against Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis. The potential economic measures have been on hold as the E.U. assessed the cease-fire. The bloc appear poised to go forward with sanctions as early as Thursday.
Poroshenko insisted the cease-fire pact makes no provisions for Kiev to weaken its sovereignty over rebel-controlled areas.
Separatists on Wednesday repeated their demands for full independence, and both sides appeared to doubt the endurance of the truce.
“Ukraine has made no concessions with regards to its territorial integrity,” he told thecabinet meeting.
“We fully and absolutely insist on our republic’s independence within the boundaries of the Donetsk region,” a top rebel leader, Andrei Purgin, told the Interfax news service.
Poroshenko said Ukraine was “regrouping” all its armed forces, claiming it was for defensive action and not a prelude to another offensive. Ukraine’s defense industry was providing up to 30 armored vehicles a day to troops, he added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said in Moscow that Russia would defend itself against threats, including NATO’s bolstered presence near Russia’s borders.
But rebel leaders insisted Ukrainian troops were provoking them into opening fire since the cease-fire began.
The Kremlin will “take adequate response measures to ensure our security,” he said at a meeting of his security advisers.
Ihor Plotnytsky, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, said rebelswere only responding “when fired upon and don’t advance ourselves," according to the Interfax news agency.
Deane reported from Rome.
“It looks like this truce is unlikely to be long, judging by how the Ukrainian army isrotating and regrouping its forces," he added.
Poroshenko took advantage of the drop in fighting Monday for a symbolic visit to Mariupol, a strategic port city which came under rebel shelling last week. The area is a key prize in the territorial showdowns in Ukraine, since it occupies a strip that connects the mainland with Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Russia in March.
Ukraine and the West accused Russia of actively fomenting the rebel surge with both troops and firepower. Russia denies it.
The Ukrainian leader, a billionaire who swept to power during the current conflict, also said he has signed a law paving the way for the imposition of economic sanctions against companies and individuals suspected of supporting and financing the pro-Russian rebels.
Birnbaum reported from Moscow. Deane reported from Rome.
