• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

President Yanukovych And Ukrainian Opposition Leaders Agree 'Truce' And Talks

February 19, 2014
by RFE/RL

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leaders have agreed to 'a truce' and the start of direct negotiations on ending the country's crisis.

Yanukovych made the announcement on his official website following talks in Kyiv with the three main opposition leaders late on February 19 -- one day after 26 people were reported killed in violent clashes between security forces and antigovernment protesters.

Former Economic Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk -- who took part in the meeting -- said in a statement on the website of his Batkivshchyna party that 'the storming of the Maidan [Kyiv's Independence Square], which the authorities had planned today, will not take place.'

U.S. President Barack Obama deemed the truce a 'welcome step forward,' but said the White House will continue to monitor the situation closely to 'ensure that actions mirror words.'

This latest development comes following Yanukovych's dismissal of the head of the Ukrainian armed forces.

In a decree issued on February 19, Yanukovych said he had dismissed Volodymyr Zamana as chief of the general staff and commander of the armed forces, and replaced him with Yuriy Ilyin, the naval chief.

The statement gave no explanation for the move.

Earlier on February 19, the Defense Ministry said the armed forces could participate in a nationwide 'antiterrorist' operation being prepared by the Security Service in response to the deadly violence on February 18.

Officials have not made clear what a nationwide counterterrorism operation would involve.

In the meantime, thousands of protesters have remained in a tense standoff with police on Kyiv's Independence Square, which has been the epicenter of antigovernment protests that began three months ago.

Ukraine's Health Ministry said 10 members of the security forces were among the 26 people who had died in clashes since the morning of February 18. It said more than 260 protesters and 340 security officers had been injured.

Government ally Russia has accused protesters of attempting to overthrow the government by force.

Diplomatic Efforts

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on the European Union to pressure Ukrainian opposition leaders to cooperate with authorities to end the crisis.

The European Union and United States, meanwhile, say they are considering imposing sanctions against government officials over the bloodshed.

The French, German, and Polish foreign ministers are due to hold talks with officials in Kyiv on February 20. The discussions will occur before the foreign ministers of the EU member states are due to meet in Brussels on the same day to consider possible sanctions.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had spoken by telephone about the crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Merkel said the two powers had agreed to stay in close contact and do everything possible to prevent a further escalation of violence.

Russia previously accused the EU and the United States of meddling in the crisis on the side of the opposition.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry put responsibility for ending the crisis on President Viktor Yanukovych. Kerry called on the president to pursue compromise and dialogue with the opposition.

Kerry added that he believed there was still a chance to ease the crisis and achieve a political solution.

'[Ukrainian] President [Viktor] Yanukovych has the opportunity to make a choice,' he said. 'The choice is between protecting the people that he serves -- all of the people -- and the choice for a compromise and dialogue versus violence and mayhem. We believe that the choice is clear and we are talking about the possibility of sanctions or other steps with our friends in Europe and elsewhere in order to try to create the environment for compromise.'

Following Kerry's remarks, Obama subsequently warned that 'there will be consequences' for Ukraine if the violence there continues.

Obama also warned the Ukrainian military to stay out of the situation, saying he believes the crisis can still be resolved by civilians.

In a related development, a senior U.S. State Department official says Washington has moved to restrict visas to 20 senior members of the Ukrainian government.

The official said the United States is ready to take further steps in coordination with the European Union if the visa ban does not work to quell the bloodshed in Ukraine.

The latest upsurge in violence erupted just days after tensions appeared to ease somewhat after the government implemented a conditional amnesty for people who were detained since the antigovernment demonstrations began in November.

The antigovernment movement was triggered by Yanukovych's decision not to sign landmark cooperation accords with the European Union and instead accept a $15 billion bailout from Russia.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, ITAR-TASS and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-army-chief- fired-sanctions/25270054.html

Copyright (c) 2014. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.