Russia And Ukraine Agree Cease-fire Must Be Adhered To Unconditionally, Resume Peace Talks In Berlin

Illustration of military on the Ukrainian border. (Wikimedia Commons/Anton Holoborodko)

JAKARTA - Russian and Ukrainian negotiators agreed a permanent ceasefire in eastern Ukraine must be adhered to "unconditionally", after hours of talks in Paris on Wednesday.

The announcement came after a meeting at Paris' Elysee Palace called the Normandy Format, a four-way conversation between representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France, trying to broker peace in eastern Ukraine since 2014.

Tensions between Moscow and Kyiv have reached their peak in years, with large Russian troops piling up near the two former Soviet Union's common border, raising fears of a Russian invasion.

Speaking after Wednesday's meeting, Moscow's chief negotiator Dmitry Kozak said the ceasefire must be adhered to unconditionally, but that many other problems in eastern Ukraine remained unresolved.

Western officials continue to push for a diplomatic solution to tensions through the full implementation of the Minsk Agreement, a ceasefire protocol signed by Ukraine and Russia in 2015.

"We agreed that despite the distinct differences of the existing Minsk agreement between Ukraine and the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the ceasefire in Donbas must be adhered to unconditionally," Kozak said, citing CNN January 27.

He added, "the obligation to implement such an agreement lies with the armed forces of Ukraine and the armed formations of the Donetsk People's Republic (eastern separatists) and the Luhansk People's Republic."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian negotiator Andriy Yermak said all parties support a permanent ceasefire and Ukraine is ready to negotiate round the clock, to prevent war and reduce tensions around the border.

Yermak called the renewal of the Normandy Format talks, first held after Russia's 2014 invasion of Crimea, a very positive signal and the first substantive agreement since late 2019.

He called the conversation very important, but not an easy discussion while there is still disagreement, there is interest in discussing it.

"Work continues and I can tell you that Ukraine as always is ready to negotiate, to meet 24-7. Because for us, for (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, for the whole team, the goal is to stop the war, end the war and restore our territory. And today which also includes easing tensions, de-escalation around Ukraine's borders, is a priority," Yermak said.

Kozak and Yermak said talks would resume in about two weeks in Berlin, Germany

As many as 100,000 Russian troops remain on the Ukrainian border, despite warnings from US President Joe Biden and European leaders about the serious consequences if Russian President Vladimir Putin orders an invasion.

Russia has repeatedly denied planning an invasion but argues that NATO support for Ukraine, including increased arms supplies and military training, is a growing threat on its western flank.

When the Normandy Format took place on Wednesday, the United States submitted a written response to Russia's concerns over Ukraine. President Putin's main demand is that the US and NATO commit to never admitting Ukraine into the 30-member defense alliance

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to go into specifics with Moscow but said it reaffirmed the Western public's response to upholding NATO's "open door policy".

"Nothing has changed. Nothing will change," Blinken said of US and NATO support for the alliance's open-door policy.

"We explained that there are core principles that we are committed to uphold and defend, including Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the right of countries to choose their own security arrangements and alliances," he added.