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| Fighting continues in Ukraine despite looming cease-fire | Fighting continues in Ukraine despite looming cease-fire |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MOSCOW — Ukrainian soldiers and pro-Moscow rebel forces clashed Friday ahead of a cease-fire hammered out by European leaders desperate to halt the conflict in eastern Ukraine but also openly questioning whether the peace deal will stick. | |
| Fighting had been anticipated on both sides as forces seek to make gains and fortify positions ahead of the planned Sunday cease-fire, which was announced Thursday after marathon talks that included European leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin. | Fighting had been anticipated on both sides as forces seek to make gains and fortify positions ahead of the planned Sunday cease-fire, which was announced Thursday after marathon talks that included European leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin. |
| But even in advance the deadline, Ukraine’s president repeated concerns among European officials that the cease-fire may not fully quell the 10-month-old war between separatists favoring ties with Russia and Ukraine’s Western-allied government. | |
| “I don’t want anyone to have any illusions and . . . I am not seen as a naive person,” Petro Poroshenko said during a visit to a Ukrainian military base, according to the Reuters news agency. “We are still a very long way from peace.” | “I don’t want anyone to have any illusions and . . . I am not seen as a naive person,” Petro Poroshenko said during a visit to a Ukrainian military base, according to the Reuters news agency. “We are still a very long way from peace.” |
| At least 5,400 people have been killed in the conflict, according to U.N. estimates, and more than 1 million people have been displaced from their homes. | At least 5,400 people have been killed in the conflict, according to U.N. estimates, and more than 1 million people have been displaced from their homes. |
| The fighting also has raised tensions between Russia and the West to Cold War-era levels. | The fighting also has raised tensions between Russia and the West to Cold War-era levels. |
| A day after the cease-fire framework was reached in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, a Ukrainian military spokesman said at least eight soldiers were killed in Friday’s clashes. | |
| The spokesman, Vladislav Seleznev, told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency Friday that most of the overnight fighting was in Debaltseve, a key railroad hub that has been the scene of fierce battles in recent days. | |
| Fighting also appeared ongoing in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, the Associated Press reported. | Fighting also appeared ongoing in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, the Associated Press reported. |
| Under the cease-fire accord, Ukraine accepted sweeping measures to grant rebel-held territories more self-rule. But the leaders of Ukraine, Germany and France cautioned that the deal was fragile, and it was unclear why this one would succeed when a similar bargain in September quickly fell apart. | Under the cease-fire accord, Ukraine accepted sweeping measures to grant rebel-held territories more self-rule. But the leaders of Ukraine, Germany and France cautioned that the deal was fragile, and it was unclear why this one would succeed when a similar bargain in September quickly fell apart. |
| One potential stumbling block emerged even before the cease-fire arrived. A Russian oversight board, known as the Investigative Committee, posted comments Friday saying that only a court could free a jailed Ukrainian air force officer, Nadiya Savchenko. Her release has been sought by Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange linked to the cease-fire accord. | |
| Amid doubts about the deal’s chances for success, the biggest winner appeared to Putin, who short-circuited Western discussions about imposing new economic and military costs for his role in fueling the war. | Amid doubts about the deal’s chances for success, the biggest winner appeared to Putin, who short-circuited Western discussions about imposing new economic and military costs for his role in fueling the war. |
| Russia has denied Western reports that Moscow has sent troops and arms to aid the rebels. | Russia has denied Western reports that Moscow has sent troops and arms to aid the rebels. |
| Meanwhile, Ukraine committed itself to politically tricky efforts to grant rebel-held territory new freedoms. | Meanwhile, Ukraine committed itself to politically tricky efforts to grant rebel-held territory new freedoms. |
| Leaders, diplomats and fighters all agreed that the cease-fire would face great challenges. | Leaders, diplomats and fighters all agreed that the cease-fire would face great challenges. |
| There were few mechanisms to ensure that heavy weaponry would be rolled back at least 30 miles from the front lines, nor was there agreement about the status of the crucial Ukrainian-held transport hub Debaltseve, where as many as 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers may be surrounded by rebels. | There were few mechanisms to ensure that heavy weaponry would be rolled back at least 30 miles from the front lines, nor was there agreement about the status of the crucial Ukrainian-held transport hub Debaltseve, where as many as 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers may be surrounded by rebels. |
| And a key Ukrainian demand to regain full control of its border with Russia was put off until the end of the year. Rebels have seized hundreds of miles of frontier, creating an open path for weapons and fighters to flow from Russia. | And a key Ukrainian demand to regain full control of its border with Russia was put off until the end of the year. Rebels have seized hundreds of miles of frontier, creating an open path for weapons and fighters to flow from Russia. |
| In a measure of the leaders’ lack of confidence in the deal, they signed no binding documents, leaving that to lower-level Ukrainian, Russian and rebel leaders. | In a measure of the leaders’ lack of confidence in the deal, they signed no binding documents, leaving that to lower-level Ukrainian, Russian and rebel leaders. |
| Instead, the quartet of leaders agreed to a nonbinding statement in which they confirmed the “full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” | |
| “We now have a glimmer of hope,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. But she also noted that “there are still major hurdles that lie ahead.” | “We now have a glimmer of hope,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. But she also noted that “there are still major hurdles that lie ahead.” |
| The deal nevertheless was enough to halt talk in both Washington and Brussels of further sanctions. There was scant mention of sending U.S. arms to the Ukrainian military, a specter that last week sent the German and French leaders speeding to Moscow to seek peace with Putin. | |
| “The United States is prepared to consider rolling back sanctions on Russia when the Minsk agreements of September 2014, and now this agreement, are fully implemented,” Secretary of State John F. Kerry said in a statement. | “The United States is prepared to consider rolling back sanctions on Russia when the Minsk agreements of September 2014, and now this agreement, are fully implemented,” Secretary of State John F. Kerry said in a statement. |
| Still, top officials said Thursday that if this deal falls apart, different approaches would be needed. | Still, top officials said Thursday that if this deal falls apart, different approaches would be needed. |
| “If it fails, there is going to be a change of strategy, not only by the United States but also by some of the European countries,” said Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics. | “If it fails, there is going to be a change of strategy, not only by the United States but also by some of the European countries,” said Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics. |
| One prominent American voice in favor of arming Ukraine said Thursday’s outcome was only to be expected. | One prominent American voice in favor of arming Ukraine said Thursday’s outcome was only to be expected. |
| Putin has “great cards, and he’s playing them well,” said Ivo H. Daalder, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO. “He doesn’t let anyone know what his bottom line is.” | Putin has “great cards, and he’s playing them well,” said Ivo H. Daalder, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO. “He doesn’t let anyone know what his bottom line is.” |
| Daalder added: “We’re constantly telling him what our bottom line is, and that’s that . . . we don’t want a military confrontation, period.” | Daalder added: “We’re constantly telling him what our bottom line is, and that’s that . . . we don’t want a military confrontation, period.” |
| Deane reported from London. Karoun Demirjian and Natasha Abbakumova in Moscow, and Carol Morello and William Branigin in Washington contributed to this report. | Deane reported from London. Karoun Demirjian and Natasha Abbakumova in Moscow, and Carol Morello and William Branigin in Washington contributed to this report. |