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| Agreement on Ukraine Cease-Fire Deal Is Reported | |
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| MOSCOW — Negotiators meeting in Minsk, Belarus, reached a tentative deal for a cease-fire in Ukraine on Tuesday night, setting the stage for a meeting of the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France to sign the agreement on Wednesday, according to media reports. | MOSCOW — Negotiators meeting in Minsk, Belarus, reached a tentative deal for a cease-fire in Ukraine on Tuesday night, setting the stage for a meeting of the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France to sign the agreement on Wednesday, according to media reports. |
| The initial reports came from Tass, a Russian government-connected news service, and BelTa, the official Belorussian news agency. However, in a report on its website, a Ukrainian weekly newspaper, Zerkalo Nedeli, disputed the report of a deal. | |
| Citing its own unnamed source, the newspaper said that Tass was trying to bolster the proposals put forward by the Russian-backed separatists who are battling the Ukrainian government. | Citing its own unnamed source, the newspaper said that Tass was trying to bolster the proposals put forward by the Russian-backed separatists who are battling the Ukrainian government. |
| Russia’s Interfax news agency also said reports of a deal were premature, as did representatives of the contact group working on an agreement, Reuters reported. | Russia’s Interfax news agency also said reports of a deal were premature, as did representatives of the contact group working on an agreement, Reuters reported. |
| What was clear was that the meeting lasted roughly two hours, from about 9 p.m. until just after 11 p.m. Participants in the talks were photographed leaving the reception house of the Belarus Foreign Ministry, where the negotiations were held, without making any public statements. | What was clear was that the meeting lasted roughly two hours, from about 9 p.m. until just after 11 p.m. Participants in the talks were photographed leaving the reception house of the Belarus Foreign Ministry, where the negotiations were held, without making any public statements. |
| The conflicting reports on the status of the talks in Minsk underscored the tension surrounding the latest negotiations, with the European leaders pressing for a peaceful resolution to the crisis even as Mr. Obama said he was actively considering whether to send arms to Ukraine. | |
| At a meeting in Kiev on Tuesday with the foreign minister of Spain, Mr. Poroshenko said that the window for settling the conflict had narrowed. “Tomorrow’s meeting in Minsk is one of the last chances to declare unconditional ceasefire and withdraw heavy armament,” he said. | |
| Standing with the foreign minister, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, Mr. Poroshenko noted that shelling was underway of the previously peaceful city of Kramatorsk — about 30 miles from the conflict zone. The shelling killed at least 15 people and wounded at least 63, including 5 children, Oleksandr Turchynov, the chairman of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said in a statement. | |
| Earlier on Tuesday, President Obama called President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine to urge both sides to reach a diplomatic solution. | Earlier on Tuesday, President Obama called President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine to urge both sides to reach a diplomatic solution. |
| In the call to the Russian president, Mr. Obama warned Mr. Putin that refusing to back down would be costly for his country. | |
| ”If Russia continues its aggressive actions in Ukraine, including by sending troops, weapons and financing to support the separatists, the costs for Russia will rise,” Mr. Obama told Mr. Putin, according to the description of the call by White House officials. | ”If Russia continues its aggressive actions in Ukraine, including by sending troops, weapons and financing to support the separatists, the costs for Russia will rise,” Mr. Obama told Mr. Putin, according to the description of the call by White House officials. |
| The preliminary talks on Tuesday came after a rush of diplomatic activity late last week, as fighting flared up in eastern Ukraine. | The preliminary talks on Tuesday came after a rush of diplomatic activity late last week, as fighting flared up in eastern Ukraine. |
| The diplomacy included a surprise visit to Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the French president, François Hollande, who met with Mr. Poroshenko in hopes of reviving a September truce agreement that never took hold. | |
| Ms. Merkel and Mr. Hollande then traveled here to Moscow on Friday where they met with Mr. Putin. The three leaders agreed to meet again in Minsk on Wednesday, but Mr. Putin said he would not make the trip unless a deal acceptable to all sides was worked out ahead of time. | Ms. Merkel and Mr. Hollande then traveled here to Moscow on Friday where they met with Mr. Putin. The three leaders agreed to meet again in Minsk on Wednesday, but Mr. Putin said he would not make the trip unless a deal acceptable to all sides was worked out ahead of time. |
| The Ukrainian side had been insisting that any agreement adhere to the September accord, which called for an end to fighting and a withdrawal of heavy weapons, and established a cease-fire line according to military positions at the time. | The Ukrainian side had been insisting that any agreement adhere to the September accord, which called for an end to fighting and a withdrawal of heavy weapons, and established a cease-fire line according to military positions at the time. |
| Mr. Putin and the separatist leaders were apparently seeking new lines based on recent advances by separatist forces. | Mr. Putin and the separatist leaders were apparently seeking new lines based on recent advances by separatist forces. |
| It had been uncertain if Wednesday’s gathering of the four world leaders would go forward, as the preliminary meeting, including representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the self-declared separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, continued late into Tuesday night. | It had been uncertain if Wednesday’s gathering of the four world leaders would go forward, as the preliminary meeting, including representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the self-declared separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, continued late into Tuesday night. |
| Participants in those talks included the former Ukrainian president Leonid M. Kuchma, who has been representing Mr. Poroshenko; the Russian ambassador to Ukraine, Mikhail Y. Zurabov; Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian political operative who is a close friend of Mr. Putin’s; Denis Pushilin of the Donetsk separatist group; Vladislav Deinego of the Luhansk group; and Heidi Tagliavini, a representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which has helped moderate the talks. | |
| Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Poroshenko held a series of high-level diplomatic consultations including calls with President Obama, President Bronislaw Komorowski of Poland, and the Swedish prime minister, Stefan Leuven. | Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Poroshenko held a series of high-level diplomatic consultations including calls with President Obama, President Bronislaw Komorowski of Poland, and the Swedish prime minister, Stefan Leuven. |
| A statement issued by Mr. Poroshenko’s office said that the call with Mr. Obama focused on “the need for a cease-fire and peaceful settlement based on implementation of the Minsk arrangements.” | |
| Mr. Poroshenko’s office said Mr. Obama also offered condolences in response to recent deaths of Ukrainian citizens. | Mr. Poroshenko’s office said Mr. Obama also offered condolences in response to recent deaths of Ukrainian citizens. |